


Harbored Secrets

by iloveromance



Category: Frasier (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-18 21:50:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 48
Words: 42,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14860931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveromance/pseuds/iloveromance





	1. Chapter 1

He pressed his lips against hers, amazed at the feeling that it brought. It was a feeling that even as a skilled psychiatrist he could not put into words. But one thing was certain. He hoped to hold on to the feeling for as long as he possibly could.

Truth be told, Mel Karnofsky was not the woman of his dreams. Nor was she the woman that he'd envisioned as someone with whom he could fall in love. But, as he'd learned time and time again, life had a funny way of leading him down unexpected paths. And this path, this journey that he had embarked upon with Mel was a journey that he was more than willing to take.

It was a journey that started with an unforeseen event.

His trip to the University of Washington Medical Center wasn't planned. He'd certainly never expected to be involved in a minor car accident that left Frasier with a slight injury. Niles had every right to be annoyed and angry, but Frasier's injury involved blood and the sight of it was not something that Niles had ever handled very well. Even so it was hard to ignore his feelings of guilt when he reluctantly left Frasier sitting in the waiting room surrounded by people who had community college written all over them. The memory made Niles shudder. He knew that he should have stayed with Frasier until a doctor was able to treat him, but when it came to matters of money, he knew that his older brother would understand his sudden need to leave.

He took a deep breath and walked out of the emergency room waiting room, headed for the Center for Reconstructive Surgery. Silently he cursed his domineering ex-wife for leaving him with a waterfall of medical bills for her endless plastic surgery procedures. The idea that she had been so selfish and heartless to assume that Niles would simply offer to pay the bills no questions asked... Why, he could feel his heart rate increase with each footfall on the hard tiled floor. Suddenly he was livid. How dare she!

The stack of bills pressed firmly between his fingers, he marched into the office prepared to give this Mel Karnofsky person a piece of his mind. Seeing that Maris was out of his life forever, he was bound and determined to put an end to the madness. Mel Karnofsky was not going to get away with taking any more of his money. Maris had already taken enough to leave him financially and embarrassingly unstable.

He shook off the thought and the second he made eye contact with the almost-too-perfect (in appearance anyway) receptionist, he demanded to speak to Mel Karnofksy, refusing to take no for an answer. He might have been a coward (in many respects) but when it came to matters of money, he was the bravest man alive. The statement might not have been at all true, but at that moment he came face to face with the plastic surgeon, he knew that his life would never be the same.

He'd been expecting a man. A man with whom Niles would have been forced to bargain his way to his freedom from Maris' medical bills. And he was prepared for a fight, if necessary. He was not, however, prepared to find that Mel Karnofksy was not a man, but a woman. And a very beautiful woman at that. At the sight of her, his heart sang (albeit softly) and she was striking. She was different than any woman that he'd ever seen in his life. Her short dark hair and perfect milky white complexion, combined with her sweet smile made the song in his heart become a symphony.

Instantly what little courage he'd summoned up dissolved and the familiar shyness took its place. But to his relief and amazement, the shyness didn't last long and he found it easy to strike up a conversation with the attractive woman. Even more amazing was realizing that they had much in common. It was more than just a physical attraction. He was completely mesmerized by her. Mel was different than any other person he'd ever come into contact with.

He stared at her in awe, watching her open the closet door of her office, where a row of crisp, white lab coats hung neatly in a row. And he was even more astonished, when, upon discovering a small imperfection, she simply removed her lab coat, tossed it away and reached into the closet for a new one. It was, by all accounts, a brilliant system and he wondered if perhaps he should consider adopting the same practice in his office. After all, he had an abundance of blazers and he was forever worried about staining one of them. At that moment he vowed to change his routine the minute he returned to work.

He was seconds away from approaching her to ask about her theory on such a system when something else caught his eye. She had a hepa filter used to filter out unsightly germs! It was completely remarkable, but it wasn't just any hepa filter. It was a Svenson!

He had a similar brand that he was very proud of. But a Svenson! Why, it was completely remarkable! It was much more impressive than the one he used at home and he was immediately green with envy.

Once he brought up the subject there was no stopping him. One topic led to another and then another. and just when he was sure that he was all talked out, he glanced at his watch, alarmed to find that quite a bit of time had passed. Knowing that Frasier was most likely finished with his office visit, Niles reluctantly bade Mel goodbye, but at the moment he paid no attention to the fact that she seemed irritated; almost angry.

If only he had known what it meant.

She seemed pleased when he left with the promise of calling her that evening. Perhaps she had merely been disappointed that their first encounter was drawing to a close. But he looked forward to spending as much time with her as possible.

Because finally he was happier than he'd been in a very long time.


	2. Chapter 2

Meeting Mel Karnofsky was fate; there was no other possible explanation. It was a strange and wonderful feeling, similar to what he'd experienced almost sixteen years earlier when he'd met and fallen in love with Maris. But despite the similarities, his feelings for Mel were different; stronger. He smiled to himself. After so much heartache, could it really be possible that he'd finally found the woman with whom he was meant to be?

If he could not have Daphne (and in fact he could not. She had given her heart to his divorce lawyer, Donny Douglas… And he'd been reminded of that painful evening ever since), Mel filled the empty place in his heart, making the pain of losing the angelic physical therapist (when he'd never really had her to begin with) subside. But despite his love for Mel, the reality that Daphne belonged to someone else hurt. It hurt a lot. No… more than that. It hurt deeply. In times such as these, he relied on the advice that he'd given his patients who had experienced losses of many different kinds, he knew that he had to find a way to go on.

The image of Mel returned to his mind almost immediately (although truthfully it rarely left), and his heart skipped a beat at the possibility that he'd finally found someone to share his life with.

After many failed (and cowardly) attempts and so many minor cosmetic procedures (all skillfully performed by Mel of course… he trusted no one else) he'd finally, joyfully succeeded in asking her out on a date. It had been a simple evening; just dinner and dancing at Seattle's most exclusive restaurant and ballroom (Mel certainly had connections), but it was an evening that Niles would never forget.

From that moment on, Niles and Mel were inseparable. They went everywhere and did almost everything together… except, of course, in situations where Niles' presence, in Mel's eyes, would hinder her position in society. He couldn't deny that the thought hurt. That there were times when Mel was, in a sense, ashamed to be seen with him. But as someone who did everything that he could to protect his reputation, he could somewhat understand how she felt.

Once he finally persuaded her to meet his family, he couldn't have been more proud to show her off. And he was all too happy to brag about her accomplishments. He was well aware that neither his father nor his brother approved of the new woman in his life. Their opinions were that Mel was too overbearing, too much like Maris. That she was antagonistic and self-centered. But Niles knew better. It was all complete and utter balderdash.

It hurt of course, knowing that his family disapproved of his choice for a mate, but Niles paid them no mind. He was happy and he intended to stay that way. He deserved happiness. He knew that his dad was just looking out for him, but in Frasier's case it was pure jealousy.

Their whole lives he and Frasier competed for awards, prestige and sometimes even women. But this time it was Niles who had won the beautiful girl, while Frasier remained single. His conscious told him that such thoughts were cruel, but in a strange and very unethical way, knowing that Frasier was single somehow eased his anxiety about his family's disapproval of Mel.

But there was one family member who was happy for him, or so it seemed. To her credit, Daphne had no unkind words to say about Mel. Perhaps she really and truly was happy for him. He knew her well enough to know that when Daphne Moon disliked something or someone she spoke her mind. Oh how he wished that he could be as bold as she. Daphne simply took him aside and told him that she was happy for him. Her words, the way she spoke to him, telling him that she was glad he'd found love again after enduring such a painful divorce, gave him every reason to believe that her words were sincere. And that made him happy.

Despite that small amount of encouragement, there was no ignoring the voice in his head that told him that the negativity toward Mel was a sign of things to come.

Mel definitely had a temper, one that surfaced easily and frequently; most often when Niles did or said something that she disapproved of. Like Maris, Mel was often quick (sometimes painfully so) to point out his faults. Yet, they were faults which oftentimes seemed to be a bit excessive.

However he tried his best not to let her insensitivity bother him. After all, during his twelve-year marriage, Maris had commented on his faults on a daily basis. But Mel had a way of spinning what were more often than not hurtful comments about his appearance or his integrity into something that she called constructive criticism.

After a while, he began to believe that the comments were helpful and even necessary. He didn't like hearing such things of course but he knew that if he really loved her… and he did love her… he would simply have to endure.

Even on that fateful first meeting in Mel's office, she'd pointed out the wrinkles on his forehead. He was mildly offended by her comment and had anyone else been the one to mention his skin quality, he might have lost his temper. But with Mel (and Maris as well) he'd learned that it was best not to become defensive. It worked for the most part but Mel reminded him frequently hat had he been courageous enough to ask her out sooner, their relationship would have been a lot stronger. Perhaps she was right, as much as he hated to admit it.

As the weeks passed, his love for her grew and one night, as they stood at her doorstep, he'd closed his eyes and kissed her. It was the end of yet another wonderful evening (the symphony this time), and it held the promise of many more.


	3. Chapter 3

Now they stood beside his car on the curb of Sea-Tac International Airport, while the traffic buzzed around them. But Niles hardly noticed; for he only had eyes for his Mel. The soft breeze floated around them, carrying the dark wisps of her hair upward and bringing them down again. The breeze somehow made her seem even more beautiful than before. How was that possible?

And how was it possible that barely forty-eight hours had passed since he knew; he really and truly knew that he was in love? His mind traveled back to that wonderful time…

They'd spent the last few blissful days in the solitude of his cabin in the mountains; the cabin where he'd spent much time with the likes of Frasier, his father and of course Maris, at different points in his life. But those visits were mere visits. With Mel there, it felt even more like home. The cabin was custom-built years ago to the Crane family's specifications and when Niles added his own touches, the look and feel improved dramatically. It was the perfect place to spend a few days alone. The solitude was blissful and the company even more so. The scenery was breathtaking, complimented by the gorgeous, pristine lake that surrounded them.

Because their free time was so rare, he and Mel made the most of the fact that neither of them had patients or obligations to attend to. No emails were checked, no cell phones rang. It was absolutely wonderful. And it was during this solitude that he fell even deeper in love. That love resulted in a series of passionate lovemaking interludes, the likes of which he had never known in all of his years of marriage to Maris. And once the lovemaking began, he realized how badly they were missed. And so they made sweet, passionate love as though making up for lost time. Perhaps making up for the time when neither of them knew of the other's existence. Now he couldn't fathom the thought of being without her. He loved her so much.

"Let's get married."

The words were out of his mouth before he realized that he had spoken out loud. And once he said them there was no taking them back. But he found that he meant them. He meant them whole heartedly.

His heart racing, he braced himself for her answer. The brief silence that followed was maddening. But when she spoke, he found that the answer was exactly what he'd expected. Her reaction was no different than her reaction to anything else; like a proud parent whose most intelligent child had exceeded her expectations.

"Niles, darling that's a wonderful idea!" She beamed, pulling him back into her arms.

Astonished that she'd agreed to marry him so quickly, Niles barely had a chance to ask her if she really and truly wanted to become his wife. For the lovemaking resumed, more intense and demanding than before. And as had been the case during their other lovemaking sessions, it was hard to decipher whether or not her serious and confident actions were an attempt to please him or if they were meant to be a metaphor of their relationship. Was she trying to tell him that she was going to be the leader in their marriage?

His heart knew the answer before the question entered his mind, for Mel always wanted to be first and foremost in everything. It should have bothered him, and it might have, had he not been so caught up in the moment. And eventually the thought faded away completely.

They were just two people in love who had cemented their commitment and their bond to become husband and wife. His first marriage had long since crumbled; the result of his actions and the fact that Maris had chosen to have an affair. With Schenkman, their marriage counselor of all people! It still hurt of course, but he knew that only a small scar would remain.

His marriage to Mel would be different. He would make certain of that. Their love and their marriage would last forever.


	4. Chapter 4

"Are you sure that you have to go?" he asked her as she stood on the curb, her luggage slung over her shoulder.

In response to his question, she simply smiled. "Darling, you know that I do. We discussed this last night!"

His heart felt empty with loss, even though she was still standing in front of him. "But I'll miss you." He blurted out.

"Now don't be ridiculous. I've gone to conferences before and Atlanta's not that far. I won't be gone long; it's just for a week. You can deal with that, can't you?"

He lowered his head. "O-of course, Sweetheart, but…"

"Niles, you're a grown man!" She scolded, breaking the magical spell.

He felt his chest constrict and he tried to ignore his feelings of inadequacy brought on by the way she was speaking to him as though he was a child. But he couldn't find it in his heart to be angry with her; not when she'd agreed to marry him and make him so happy. He knew that he needed to say something in response. But when he finally summoned the courage, he chose his words carefully.

"I know that, Mel. But things are different now. We're-."

"We're what, Niles? Engaged? Of course we are. And we'll still be engaged when I return. But when I return we're going to have a lot of things to discuss, such as where we'll live-."

His eyebrows rose. "Live? But-."

She rolled her eyes; a sign that she wasn't happy with the turn their conversation had taken. "Oh Niles, the Montana is such a dreadful place, don't you think? We deserve something so much better! Something that fits our high-profile lifestyles. We need a place that leaves no doubt in society's mind about what kind of people we really are. We need the best, Niles. And the Montana is far from what I'd consider adequate. I refuse to live in a home that is associated with such horrible people! And that doorman, what's his name?"

"George." Niles answered obediently.

"Right, George. Oh my, where do I begin? H-he's atrocious! He's rude, inattentive, and just disrespectful! I should call the building manager and have him fired immediately! I'll make that a top priority once I get settled and then-."

"No!" Niles shouted, instantly aware that he'd broken a cardinal rule. Mel hated unwanted attention and now it seemed that every head was turned in their direction.

"Niles, how could you?" She hissed, her eyes filled with inevitable rage.

He held up his hand to stop any venomous words that might have left her mouth. He'd heard it all before. "Look, having George fired is not necessary. I'll talk to him, all right? And I'll talk to the building manager."

She sighed, clearly irritated with his compromise. "Well, all right. Oh Niles, I don't know what made you want to pick a building like the Montana! It's even worse than Frasier's place and that's saying a lot! You agree with me, don't you?"

His smile disappeared and the unwanted feelings of anger and insecurity settled in his chest. It was the first time that she'd ever mentioned her disapproval of his home, and he couldn't help but wonder what else she disapproved of. He sighed, once again at a loss for what to say. "I-."

She smiled and grabbed his chin, holding it firmly as though she was speaking to a child. It seemed that she was always making him feel that way. But even when he was a young boy his mother never treated him in such a manner. And yet he still loved Mel. He loved her very much. What was it about her that made his heart flutter?

"Of course you do." Mel interrupted. "You're just too shy to say it. But we'll take care of that shyness as soon as possible, and definitely before we're married. You need to be more assertive, Niles, especially after we're married!"

"Right… You… mentioned that already."

"Well, it needs mentioning several times, don't you think? I can't believe you've gone your whole life with this shy disposition. Oh Niles, we really need to work on that. What will people think when they see us together?"

He nodded, grateful when he thought of a way to change the subject. "It will be fine, Mel. Don't worry."

"All right I won't. But where was I? Oh, right, the wedding. Well, first and foremost we have to decide how and when we're going to make the announcement of our engagement. And Niles I want this done right!"

"Of course, darling, but-."

"No buts." She snapped. "And as for the other arrangements, I can take care of them from Atlanta or on the plane. I'll have five hours to kill so I might has well do something constructive, right?"

"Of course, Mel, but-."

"But you-." She pressed her index finger into his chest a bit too forcefully, the way she had done many times before, most often when she was adamant about getting her point across or insistent that Niles do something for her. And it was extremely bothersome to say the least. But since he was unwilling to risk an argument, he simply tolerated it; the way he tolerated everything else.


	5. Chapter 5

"Um, yes, Darling?"

"Niles, you're in charge of the rings. Now you'll need to go to Bergdorf's Jewelers on Fifth and Union right away. You're to speak to Bryon and only Bryon. Do not speak to anyone else. Bother the hell out of them until they let you speak to him, even if they say that he's not in. And make sure they get him there no matter what, do you understand?"

Again he nodded. "Yes, but Mel-."

"Do not under any circumstances simply give up and go to another jewelry store. This is something that you must not ruin! Bergdorf's is the only acceptable jewelry store."

He did his best to hide his irritated sigh. "Mel you know that I would never ruin anything. I can't believe you even-."

"I've seen you fail at things over and over again Niles, and this is something that you must not ruin!" She repeated. "Bergdorf's is the only acceptable store, do you hear me? They are the only acceptable one! They don't make a fuss and they're good. Now go directly to the store after you leave this airport and tell Bryon that you want a set of wedding rings. Mine should be fourteen karat gold of course, with diamonds in a crisscross setting. I want lots of diamonds for my wedding ring, Niles. Lots of diamonds! The same goes for my engagement ring, which I do wish that you had bothered to purchase before you proposed but I suppose that it was rather impromptu wasn't it?"

He opened his mouth to speak but as usual Mel continued to lecture him; albeit the smile she was wearing.

"Well, that's all right." She went on, straightening the collar of his shirt. "But as for your wedding band, it needs to be a simple gold band; very elegant but discreet. Nothing more nothing less, Niles, do you understand?"

His head was spinning from the influx of information that she had thrown at him, but he nodded blindly.

"Niles, do you understand?" She asked, more forcefully.

"Yes, of course Mel, but-."

"No buts Niles, just do it! And make sure that the rings are ready by the time I get back. I want to announce our engagement the right way; with a party…"

"A-all right." He said flatly, hoping she wouldn't notice the way his enthusiasm had waned.

"Not just any party, a formal party! One where only the most exclusive guests are invited. I'll make up a list from Atlanta and you do the same here while I'm gone. And when I return we'll compare notes and eliminate the names that aren't needed."

Niles sighed again, albeit discreetly. He didn't need to ask if exclusive and not needed meant that his father, brother and Daphne were included in that category. He already knew the answer. "No, Niles, they're not invited." Mel would say if he dared to ask. He knew all too well what his new finance thought about his family; Daphne included. But as with the many other things that he disliked about Mel, he tried not to let her disdain bother him. He hoped that in time her attitude toward his family would change and that she might grow to love them just as Daphne had.

He forced a smile and kissed her. "Don't worry, Mel. I'll take care of everything. Now you'd better go or you'll miss your flight."

She glanced at her watch and gasped, cursing under her breath. "Oh my God, I only have forty five minutes until my flight leaves! Damn it, Niles why did you let me stand here for so long? I told you repeatedly what time the flight was scheduled to leave and now I'll never make it! I'll have to book another flight, which means staying in this horrible airport for hours and I'll have to fly coach! Damn you!"

Despite the stares of passersby, and the fact that she was screaming loudly, he managed to smile and kiss her more passionately than he intended. But by some miracle, it worked like magic to diffuse her anger, at least for the time being.

"You'll make it if you hurry." He said as softly as possible. "Now go and I'll see you when you get back."

"Call me!" She said in a tone that was more of a demand rather than a request.

"Of course, Mel, every night."

"Tonight, Niles!" She shouted. "Swear it! Swear you'll call me! And make sure that you don't forget the time difference! It's-."

"For God's sake, I know what time it is in Atlanta, Mel!" he shouted. He hadn't meant to get so angry, and from the look that she gave him, he knew that he would pay for it in some form or another. He took a deep breath and forced himself to speak calmly. "Mel, I swear that I will call you every night."

"Good. Now kiss me."

He moved to kiss her but she turned her face, allowing him only the lightest of kisses. "This is an airport, Niles!" She said softly into his ear. "People are watching!"

With that, she turned on her heels and move toward the automatic doors.

"I love you!" he called to her as she disappeared into the airport.

If she had said the words in return, he would never know. She hardly ever said them, except when they were alone and in situations where she knew that saying the words sure to garner a positive reaction from those around them.

He returned to his car and started the engine. And as he pulled away from the curb, he was suddenly glad that she was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

He pulled onto the freeway, intending on going directly home. How dare Mel be so domineering? He shuddered, wondering if their marriage was going to be based on the same principals. He certainly hoped not. But he refused to let the thought cloud his mind. Instead he forced himself to relax and realized almost immediately that it was best to do as Mel wanted. He wouldn't have been at all surprised if Mel were to go to great lengths to call Bergdorf's to verify that he had indeed contacted this Bryon person. It was a thought that disturbed him to no end; the thought that someone he loved and cared about enough to ask for her hand in marriage had so little faith in him.

He needed to go somewhere to clear his head. Home was the most obvious and ideal choice, but he didn't want to risk an argument (that would surely ensue if Mel were to find out that he hadn't done as she'd asked (or rather, demanded). The only option left was to pay a visit to this Bergdorf's Jewelry store that she had spoken so highly of.

It was located on busy Fifth Avenue on a prominent corner and the outside of the building seemed to stand out among the many other stores that lined the street. Even the marquee of the famous Fifth Avenue Theatre; situated diagonally across from Bergdorf's, seemed to pale in comparison to the facade of the expansive jeweler.

Annoyed at the feeling of cowardliness, he parked his car, paid the meter and walked the few steps to the store. Inside the store was by all accounts magnificent. He was greeted immediately by a tall dark-haired man, about his father's age. But Niles was fairly certain that this man was not the man he needed to speak with. And sure enough, the man introduced himself as Roger.

After explaining to Roger that he was newly engaged, Niles was led to a large glass counter where he was greeted with a smile by a man who looked to be a bit older than he. And Niles sighed with relief when he saw the man's name tag;

Bryon.

"Bryon, Thank God."

Bryon's eyebrows rose. "Excuse me?"

"I-I'm sorry. I was just-I'm so glad to see you." Niles stammered. He felt completely ridiculous but to his credit, Bryon seemed flattered.

"Well, Mr.…"

Niles extended his hand. "Crane. Niles Crane. Dr. Niles Crane, actually."

The two men shook hands. "Pleased to meet you, Dr. Crane. How can I help you?"

Niles smiled. "Well, I've just gotten engaged and I need to purchase an engagement ring and a wedding ring set for my fiancé and myself."

"May I offer my sincere congratulations, Dr. Crane?" Bryon said. "When is the big day?"

"Thank you, but we… um… We haven't decided yet." Niles said. "Things are still in the planning stages." That much was true.

Bryon pointed to a glass case filled with more wedding rings than Niles had ever seen in his life. The selection was absolutely mind-boggling. How would he possibly choose?

And then, as if by fate, Mel's words came rushing back to him. He told Bryon exactly what his bride-to-be wanted and within seconds, Bryon reached into the display case, and removed a ring that fit Mel's specifications perfectly.

"How do you like this one?"

Niles stared at the wedding ring in awe. It was absolutely stunning. Rows and rows of tiny diamonds in a cross setting. It was exactly what Mel had requested. And it was perfect. "I'll take it."

"Excellent. What kind of engagement setting would you prefer?"

Niles looked at each ring that Bryon handed him, choosing one that most closely matched the wedding ring he picked out for Mel.

"Very good." Bryon nodded in approval. As annoyed as Niles had been with Mel at the airport, he had to admit that when it came to choosing a jeweler, she had exquisite taste. He made a mental note to tell her so and he vowed to tell her the moment that she picked up the phone that evening.

He could hardly wait to call her.


	7. Chapter 7

About an hour later he returned to his car, his purchases safely tucked away in the small purple shopping bag embellished with the swirling Bergdorf's logo. He hoped that Mel would be pleased with his choices and if she wasn't they would simply exchange them. Mel was, by all accounts, the most unpredictable woman he'd ever known. Anything could set her off and even having known her as long as he had; she still managed to surprise him.

He sat in his car and removed the small ring box from the bag. Slowly he lifted the lid as though a hidden treasure lay inside. And it was a treasure. The gold band securely in his fingers, he removed it from the box, turning it around and around. He'd chosen it carefully, making certain to follow Mel's specifications; simple, nothing fancy, just a plain but elegant band of gold. But there was one touch that he added that Mel wasn't aware of and he wasn't planning on telling her about it, for her knew that she would disapprove. But when Bryon offered to engrave the ring in the store for free, Niles didn't hesitate. He decided against the traditional initials and wedding date, choosing instead something simple. Just four letters. Four seemingly small letters. But they were four letters that made up what was perhaps the most powerful word in the English language.

L-O-V-E

He wasn't sure what made him choose that word, when he had his choice of anything at all. Perhaps he needed to remind himself…

No. he needed no reminder. He loved Mel and he was going to marry her. He would be her husband and she his wife.

Without hesitation, he slipped the ring onto his finger, surprised at how familiar it felt. He hadn't worn a ring on his left hand (or even his right for that matter) since the day that he knew that his marriage to Maris was over. The day he'd stood with Frasier and his dad on the balcony on a lonely Saturday night. When he learned that Maris had been having an affair (with their marriage counselor no less) he was certain that his life was over. But he was wrong. He was newly engaged to the woman he loved. And his life, his new life… was just beginning.


	8. Chapter 8

He carried this thought with him as he drove home. With Mel gone for a week he had time to do other things. His patient load, while it had not increased, had become more demanding and his sessions had in turn, become longer than before. Not only did it make for very long and tiring days, but it also meant that there would be a lot more paperwork than he was used to. He didn't mind the extra work of course, but when Mel was around it was a constant battle of balancing love and work. But for a week at least, he could forgo love in favor of work.

However, the moment that he opened his front door, he felt differently. He couldn't stay there alone in his home when thoughts of uncertainty regarding Mel and his upcoming marriage swirled in his head. Was he really doing the right thing in asking her to marry him? It was, of course, too late to back out now and even if he could he wouldn't dream of ending their relationship. He loved Mel. However, he did not love her in the same way in which he loved Daphne, but that was precisely the point.

Mel was real and she loved him in return, while Daphne, although she'd told him that she loved him, did so only in friendship. And that was perfectly fine with him. He valued her friendship of course. In fact, he cherished it, considering it one of his greatest possessions. But he needed more than friendship. He needed companionship and validation from a woman that he knew he would love and be loved for the rest of his life.

He would never stop loving Daphne, that much was certain. But alas she'd given her heart to his divorce lawyer, Donny Douglas. The reminder still stung, but as he glanced at the ring on his left hand, the pain dissipated, if only in the smallest amount.

With a frustrated sigh, he tossed his keys onto the small table and retreated into his study. Minutes later he'd situated himself at his desk, prepared to work until he was completely exhausted. And then he'd wearily climb the stairs and sink into bed, waking up the next morning to do the whole routine again. But after almost twenty minutes of staring at the paperwork and shuffling through folder after folder, he found that he hadn't comprehended a single word. The question came at him again and again, refusing to leave until he'd answered it honestly;

Was he really doing the right thing in asking for Mel's hand in marriage?

Exasperated, he put down the paperwork. There was no possible way that he could concentrate when he had so much on his mind. He closed his eyes for a moment, wishing that he was somewhere else. Anywhere else. Somewhere that he could clear his mind, and put things into perspective.

His gaze moved across the pictures that sat on his desk, landing on one that he hadn't looked at in a long time. It was a picture of himself with his dad and Frasier, taken in the living room of the cabin where they'd spent so much time. He could tell that the photograph had been taken by his mother; a rarity, since it was usually his father behind the camera.

His mind traveled back to when the picture was taken and the fun they'd had on that particular trip. Although he'd thoroughly enjoyed his recent time alone with Mel at the cabin, he longed for something else. He needed to get away. And the cabin was the perfect place.


	9. Chapter 9

He hung up the phone smiling. He and Frasier didn't always get along but when they did, he realized how much he loved his older brother.

"Thanks, Frasier. I won't forget this." He'd said when Frasier agreed to let him use the cabin for as long as he needed.

"It's my pleasure, Niles. I'm happy to do this for you. I'll leave the keys in the bowl on the sideboard so you can just come by and pick them up when you're ready. And I hope you have a safe journey."

"Thanks, Frasier."

"You're welcome. Stop by anytime."

Filled with a sense of purpose and anticipation, Niles put away his paperwork. It could wait. And then he called Mrs. Woodson to let her know that he was going out of town for a few days. He was sure that she would understand. Sometimes it seemed that she knew him better than anyone.

He hurried upstairs and packed a few bags, uncertain of how long he would be gone. But even one or two nights away would do him a world of good.

Driving to Frasier's, Niles felt more free than he'd felt in a long time. In just a few hours he'd be in complete solitude, able to do what he pleased. He'd packed plenty of clothes, leaving nothing to chance, but surprisingly he was able to fit his belongings into a few carry-on bags.

Before he knew it, he was pulling into the parking garage of the Elliott Bay Towers. As he shut off the engine he smiled once more. His much-needed vacation had finally begun.

The elevator doors opened on the nineteenth floor and he eagerly crossed the hallway. He was grateful to his brother for allowing him to use the cabin, for it was a generous gesture on his part. Certainly he didn't need to ask permission, as the cabin belonged to everyone in the Crane family. But Frasier had been planning a trip to the cabin himself for a few months, vowing to go as soon as his schedule would allow. And now that trip had been postponed yet again.

Niles knew that he needed to thank Frasier wholeheartedly, but a note seemed a bit impersonal. However, in this case it would have to do.

He rang the doorbell and waited. When there was no answer, he tried again… and then again. Finally concluding that no one was around, he reached into his pocket for his key and inserted the key into the lock. It was the key that Frasier had given him long ago for emergencies.

Well, this wasn't exactly an emergency, but Niles was anxious to get on the road and begin his journey. At this time of year, darkness fell early in Washington State and the drive, although beautiful with its winding roads and abundant green trees framed by the white snow-capped mountains, became dangerous after nightfall.

Slowly he turned the key in the lock and pushed the door open. But as he did so, he stopped, frozen in his tracks. For there, standing in the living room was his angel….

Daphne.


	10. Chapter 10

For several seconds he stared at her, and she at him. The sight of her was so completely unexpected that he could hardly believe it was real. His breath caught in his chest and for a moment he was at a complete loss for words.

"Daphne, I-I'm sorry for barging in like this." He stammered. "I used my key because I didn't think that anyone was at home."

Her mouth opened but it was a few seconds before she spoke. "I-me plans changed." Her eyes moved to his hand… his left hand; the hand that displayed his wedding ring. The ring he wore even though he was not yet married.

He knew that she would ask him about the ring on his left hand, and then ask him when he'd gotten married. She might have even been angry with him for not inviting him to the wedding, for he'd told her time and again that she was just as much a part of his family as Frasier and his dad were. And of course she'd assume that Frasier and his dad were in attendance when she was not.

She had causally mentioned to him once before that if she were ever to get married, she would make certain that Niles, Frasier and his dad would be much more than just guests; they'd be a special part of the ceremony, standing in the wedding party alongside her husband to be. Even though he hated the idea of her being married to anyone else, he'd hugged her in response, touched by her kindness. The fact that she so readily included him meant the world. He may not have been married, but the ring on his left hand suggested otherwise. He moved his arm behind his back, doing his best to avoid her gaze.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion." He apologized again. "I won't stay long. I promise."

"You're not staying?"

"Um, no. I'm going to the cabin. I just came by to get the keys. Frasier left them for-." He searched the immediate area, finally spotting them on the sideboard; the exact spot where Frasier said they would be. "Ah, here they are. He picked them up, clutching them in his hand.

"I thought your-um, Mel was in Atlanta for a conference."

Surprised at Daphne's comment, his eyes met hers. But she immediately looked away, as though she'd said something wrong. And he wondered how she knew.

"I heard you mention it to your brother." She replied, as though reading his mind. "Before…"

"Oh, well, yes. She's in Atlanta. I'm going to the cabin alone."

There was another awkward silence before he spoke again.

"Well it was good to-." He froze, noticing her, really noticing her for the first time since he'd arrived. Something was amiss.

"Are you… all right?"

"I have a bit of the flu." She replied. Her voice was no longer calm, but raspy. Dear God she really was ill. What in the world was she doing standing in the living room? And from what he could tell, she'd been there for a while, doing housework, of all things. The idea that she wasn't taking care of herself angered him for reasons he couldn't explain. But she was a health care worker. She knew better.

"You should be in bed." The statement was harsher than he intended, but he could no longer hide his agitation. The silent thought and the way that he'd spoken to her so directly brought a feeling of guilt. But he quickly recovered. "Would you like me to make you some soup? Do you need to see a doctor? I'd be happy to-."

"No, I'm fine, really."

For the first time in his life, he didn't believe her. The signs of illness were all there; her uneven skin tone, her red, puffy eyes that looked tired (yet beautiful) and her disheveled hair. He wondered if she might be running a fever. His hand went to her forehead and then slid down her cheek, expecting to find warmth, but instead her skin was surprisingly cool.

He was about to insist that she let him take her to the doctor, just as a precaution. But he felt his heart breaking when she suddenly burst into tears.


	11. Chapter 11

For a moment he was at a complete loss. Dear God, he'd made her cry. He'd upset her. He felt like a complete jackass. What could he possibly say or do to apologize? Cautiously he moved closer.

"Daphne-."

"I'm not ill!" She sobbed, her voice rising as she turned away from him. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane!"

He had no idea how to respond. If she wasn't ill, than she must have been hurting. And it was a thought that pained his heart. She was engaged; she was supposed to be happy.

He wanted so much to help her, but he wasn't sure what to do. Trying to get her to talk about it, when she was in such a state of distress, was impossible; at least at that moment. And so he settled on the next best thing.

His arms went around her for a soothing hug. He could feel her trembling as he gently rubbed her back, doing his best to calm her.

"I'm so sorry!" She said again.

He held her for a second longer but truth be told, he couldn't bear to let her go. "Don't be silly, Daphne. I'm relieved to know that you're not ill, so there's no need to apologize. But something has upset you and I want you to tell me what it is."

His words, spoken as gently as possible, only served to make her cry harder. He wished that she would open up to him, if only in the slightest and talk to him. He wanted so badly to help her. If only she would let him. But to his dismay she said nothing, leaving him to guess for himself.

"Does this have to do with Donny?"

The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. But there was no way he could take them back.

"No." She replied, the sharpness in her voice indicating that he'd indeed said the wrong thing. "Please, Dr. Crane. I don't want to-."

"I'm sorry." He made certain to soften his voice. "I just want you to know that I'm here for you, always."

Her smile, although it was a small one, tugged at his heart. "Thanks."

He needed to say something else. Something… "So, how are the wedding plans coming along?"

"Could we just have one day of not talking about bloody weddings?" Her reply, although not quite a yell, startled him and he moved his hand from her arm.

"Yes, of course. In fact, I welcome that suggestion." The words could not have been truer. The less said about weddings, his or hers, the better. Discreetly he put his left hand behind him and slid the ring off, letting it drop into his picket. But he remembered a second too late that he'd dropped the keys into his pocket as well. He coughed, as though doing so would cover up the sound of clinking metal.

"It's nothing." She replied, breaking yet another awkward silence.

He nodded, accepting the fact that she wasn't going to tell him what was wrong. It really wasn't his business anyway. He just wanted to help her. He'd do anything for her.

"So you're going to the cabin." Her voice was steadier now.

"Um, yes."

"It must be good to get away."

He smiled at her tone, which was almost wistful. "Yes, it's beautiful this time of year at the cabin."

Her face held a look that matched her voice; a faraway look as though she was trying to picture the scenery. "I remember."

Their eyes met and he smiled. "Very beautiful. Very quiet and far away from every-Daphne, would you like to come with me?"

His words stunned him even more than proposing to Mel had. But unlike the proposal, he didn't regret his asking Daphne to the cabin at all.

She gasped in disbelief. "What?"

"Would you-."

"Yes."

He could not believe what he was hearing. Suddenly he couldn't tear his gaze away from her. Even in her state of distress, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

"Do you mind waiting a few minutes while I pack?"

He smiled. "Of course I'll wait, Daphne. Take all the time you need."

When she fled to her bedroom, he stared out of the window, taking in the picturesque view. What had he been thinking, asking her to come to the cabin with him? Had he completely lost his senses? Or had he, oddly enough, come to them?

She was hurting, that much was evident. And until she opened up to him, there wasn't much that he could do to help her; except to be her friend. So perhaps this impromptu invitation was a start. At the very least he hoped that being away from Frasier and the pressures of wedding planning would help to ease her pain, if only for a little while.

He didn't have long to ponder the notion for she was back in the living room sooner than he'd expected. He glanced at his watch, surprised to find that only a few minutes had passed.

"I'm ready."

Her cheerful voice caught him off guard and he tried to smile but for some reason, found it impossible to do so. Nervousness had once again gotten the better of him.

His eyes moved to the window and he was suddenly reminded of the chill in the air. "Daphne…" He began slowly. "You can't possibly come with me…"

Her shoulders slumped and the overnight bag fell from her hand, landing on the carpet with a soft thud. She sighed deeply and he feared that she might start to cry once again.

"Without your coat." He finished, wishing that he had uttered the thought in one breath.

As before she looked at him in disbelief and it hurt him. How could she possibly think that he would change his mind? But he decided not to read too much into it. After all, she was hurting and when people were in a state of distress, they often weren't thinking clearly.

"It will be freezing up there at the cabin." He said, as though clarifying his earlier statement.

Without giving her a chance to speak, he crossed the living room and removed her red pea coat from the hook, taking a moment to discreetly inhale the scent. When he moved closer to her, he saw her eyes flutter and then close. "Allow me." He placed the coat gently around her shoulders. It was a gesture that instantly brought memories of Frasier's Christmas party when they'd stood on the balcony alone.

He'd never forgive himself for letting her standing there, in that beautiful sleeveless red dress, shivering in the December air. And even after he'd draped his jacket around her shoulders, he'd found himself wishing that he'd done it much sooner. That party had been months ago and he still wondered what she'd been trying to say to him that night. However, it no longer mattered. What mattered was the immediate future. The time that they would spend together at the cabin alone.

He gazed at her, taking in her beauty and even when their eyes locked, he could not bring himself to look away. And so, without taking his eyes off of her, he leaned to pick up her overnight bag. "Well then. I think we both deserve some time away."

As they walked out of the condo, he felt her hand slip into his and the warmth was reminiscent of the way her friendship was wrapped around his heart.


	12. Chapter 12

They did not speak on the drive to the cabin and the unspoken words, as well as the guilt that he was feeling, filled the space between them. However, he refused to place blame on himself. He had nothing to feel guilty about. They were just two friends taking a journey to the cabin, just as they had done many times before. Only this time they were without the company of Frasier and his father. Otherwise it was no different. He had nothing to feel guilty about. They were just friends, good friends and nothing more.

He loved his Mel and he was going to marry her.

He reminded himself yet again that Daphne did not and would never have feelings for him, nor was she free to do so. And although he couldn't deny his love for her, a love that, in the time they'd known each other, had grown into more than just a simple crush or infatuation. But he knew that he was not free either, and neither was Mel. He'd promised her hand in marriage just as Donny had promised Daphne the stars.

Suddenly his mind was filled with images of the two women that he loved, as though they were unknowingly forcing him to decide between them. And worse, scolding him for putting himself into such a position in the first place. He tried to push the ridiculous thought from his mind but the images were still there.

Daphne… Mel… Daphne…Mel…

He looked to his right, remembering that Daphne was more than just a vision in his mind. She was sitting right beside him in the passenger seat, lest he could have forgotten.

As they drove past a familiar sign, he was suddenly aware of how much time had passed since they'd last spoken. Continuing the silence would never do. But when he finally spoke, the words were not at all what he'd intended to say.

"Did you remember to bring your thyroid pills?"

She didn't answer immediately and he turned to look at her, suddenly feeling as though he was treating her like a child. She certainly didn't need him reminding her of what she should bring on a trip; especially an impromptu one such as their journey to the cabin.

He may not have intended to ask the question but it was a very real concern. For the rest of his life he'd always remember that hot summer night when she'd arrived at his doorstep, asking to spend the night. The sexual tension between them (even in his home, which, because of the heat, could have been the backdrop for a Tennessee Williams play) felt so intense that things could have ended up very differently had she brought her thyroid pills. He'd never forgive himself for making the hasty decision to bring her back to Frasier's to retrieve them when he could have just as easily thrown his ethics out of the window for one night and make use of the all night pharmacy across the street.

If only…

But things were different now and he was determined not to make the same mistake again. The silence that still surrounded them was killing him. But he would not turn back even if she told him that she had forgotten her pills. He could only imagine the hell that would ensue if they returned to Frasier's. He'd be forced to explain-

No, he would not let it happen. He would not let this chance to spend time alone with Daphne pass him by, no matter how wrong it may have been.

When he looked at her again she was smiling. "Thank you Dr. Crane. They're packed in me over night bag. I made sure of it."

Her words made him smile and his smile was returned. The relief he felt was unimaginable.


	13. Chapter 13

Soon after, as if by fate (or coincidence), they both lowered their windows at the same time, allowing a blast of icy mountain air to enter the car. Within seconds he was shivering but the cold air did wonders to get rid of the inappropriate thoughts that were swirling through his mind. His hands were numb from the cold but he kept them firmly on the steering wheel, his gaze straight ahead. When he shivered once more, she quickly rolled up the window. It was a gesture that was reminiscent of the kindness that she had always shown him. And it was her kindness that had made him fall in love with her.

God, how he loved her. But how could he? Had he completely forgotten about the woman to whom he'd promised to spend the rest of his life? Suddenly the guilt returned, stronger than before. He considered turning back. It would be so easy to explain to her that he had changed his mind. Bringing her to the cabin without Frasier, his father or their significant others had been a bad idea, and he shouldn't have even considered it. But when he looked over at her he knew that he could not do it. He could not and he would not.

His reason for going to the cabin in the first place, once Mel was safely in the air en route to Atlanta, was solely to hide out in solitude. But he could not believe that he'd asked Daphne to join him. And more incredibly, he could not believe that she had accepted.

He should turn back. It was wrong, spending time with a woman he loved so much; a woman engaged to another man, when he himself was engaged to another woman. But when he looked at Daphne again he remembered her expression when he'd asked her to accompany him to the cabin.

He realized that this trip, no matter how small it seemed, meant so much more to Daphne. How could he possibly tell her that the decision had been a mistake? He couldn't hurt her, not again. He wanted to make her happy and if that wasn't possible, he wanted to take away her pain. However, making her happy wasn't his responsibility, it was Donny's.

Donny… The man who had promised her the stars, breaking Niles' heart when Daphne had accepted.

Suddenly he found it hard to breathe. He felt as though he might cry… or faint.

Her hand was on his arm. "Are you all right, Dr. Crane?"

He took the nearest exit, grateful to see a sign for a small café. "I'm fine, Thanks. Hungry?"

"I-."

Before she could answer, he'd pulled into the small parking lot. Wordlessly they went inside and were seated in a booth across from one another. He gave the waitress his order and then excused himself to go to the men's room. Thankful that it was unoccupied, he went to the sink and glanced into the mirror at his reflection. He splashed cold water on his heated cheeks, but the effort did little to calm him.

When he returned to the table he was pleased to see that she had taken the liberty of ordering tea and coffee. Their meals arrived shortly thereafter; an egg white omelet for him and a salad for her. The food looked delicious but it seemed that neither he nor Daphne was in the mood to eat. For nearly twenty minutes, their food was rearranged again and again until it became obvious that their meals would remain uneaten.

Niles finally admitted that he wasn't very hungry and when Daphne said the same, they decided to continue their journey.


	14. Chapter 14

When the cabin finally came into view, Niles slowed the car onto the gravel driveway. A mixture of nervousness, guilt and anticipation came over him as they unpacked the car. Their luggage in hand, he led her to the door, but hesitated at the entrance. He hoped that his awkward smile didn't reveal how nervous he'd suddenly become. But if Daphne had noticed, she didn't make any mention of it. And in fact she stood beside him, wearing a smile (a very beautiful smile) that suggested that she was just as nervous. Or was she feeling guilty as well?

No. He refused to give into the unwanted feelings. They would only serve to make things worse and that would never do.

As he watched her peer into the window, she reminded him of a child at Christmas, peering into a department store window in the hopes of spotting the perfect toy. It was a sight that made him smile yet again.

His hand trembled as he inserted his key into the lock and turned the knob. And then he heard the familiar sound of metal as it clicked out of place. He expected the act of pushing the metal door open to take some effort, but he'd barely done so when it floated open, almost like magic.

One glance into the cabin brought back a thousand memories of the times he'd spent here. The large living room with its wooden walls and warm, plush furnishings, accented by lodge pole pine and cherry accent pieces were just as they had been on his last visit. He wished that he could spend every moment of his free time here, but he was only too happy to be spending this time (however rare) with Daphne.

The silence was broken as they stood at the doorstep of the place where they would spend the next few days.

"Here we are." He announced.

Slowly she turned to look at him. "Dr. Crane…"

He stopped adjusting his luggage and smiled at her.

"I-I don't-."

He waited for her to continue, but she remained silent, as though she'd changed her mind about speaking.

"You were going to say something?"

She swallowed hard. "I don't know if I've told you thank you, Dr. Crane. Thank you for bringing me here. I know that you intended on coming alone and the invitation was so unexpected. I just… thank you."

Her words sparked something inside of him. Perhaps it was the sincerity of them, or maybe it was the faint sheen of tears in her eyes. "You're welcome Daphne. It will be nice to spend some time with a friend."

She was looking at him as though he'd paid her the highest compliment imaginable. But surely she knew how much she and her friendship meant to him. Then again, she couldn't possibly know.

He walked into the cabin and dropped the luggage onto the hardwood floor with a soft, final defiant thud. As they had when he'd first opened the door, memories surrounded him; memories of his visits to the cabin with his father, Frasier and his mom.

"Dr. Crane?"

It was only when he felt her hand on his back that he realized that he'd been deep in thought.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, I was just-."

Her eyes swept the downstairs interior "It really is beautiful, isn't it? I remember when I was last here. I…" Her voice trailed away. "Well, anyway. It's beautiful."

He took her words as a compliment and smiled. "Thank you, Daphne." Before she could protest, he picked up her bag. "Come on, I'll show you to your room."

He led her upstairs. Down the hallway there were two doors, each one leading to a bedroom. Both doors were closed; the one that led to the master bedroom and the one that led to the guest bedroom. As he moved past the first door he intended to stop in front of it. But he kept on walking and then paused at the second door. With a gentle turn of the knob, he thrust it open, smiling at the familiarity.

It wasn't as elaborate as his master bedroom at the Montana but it was impressive in its own right. It was even bigger than Frasier's bedroom and the picturesque view from the large window somehow made Frasier's Seattle skyline view seem pale in comparison. He could see the familiar snow-capped mountain, framed by the autumn-hued trees.

It was a sight that no matter how many times he'd seen it, always filled him with awe, but it was Daphne's reaction that made him smile. The room suited her, with its rustic feel that was just right for a cabin in the mountains. He hoped that she would feel comfortable in his bedroom.

As she gazed out of the window, he was pleased with his decision, even if it was a spur of the moment one. She looked as though she was deep in thought, most likely thinking about Donny.

"I'll leave you to unpack."

She turned to him and smiled. "Thank you."

He closed the door and walked into the hallway and then carried his luggage into the guest room. It was a vast contrast from his own bedroom. It was much smaller in size and the furnishings, while nice, were not as elaborate as the log furniture that filled the master bedroom. Even the muted colors seemed to make the room seem somewhat dreary in comparison. He dropped his luggage onto the floor and went to the window, gazing out at the mountainside. It was as though the mountain had decided to show its best side to those who occupied the master bedroom and its rather dull side to those in the guest room. The ridiculous thought made him laugh.

But as soon as he walked downstairs, his smile faded and the guilt that he was trying to ignore threatened once again. He forced it away and descended the stairs to the living room. The plush chair that sat opposite the fireplace beckoned to him and he sunk into it. But as he sat down, he felt something in his pocket. The ring. He shoved his hand into his pocket and removed it and then held it in his fingers, letting the light shine upon it. Absently he twirled it around and around as though doing so would somehow give him the courage to do what he wanted to do for so long; to say the words he so badly needed to say.

His gaze did not move from the band of gold. The engraved words… the four letters… L-O-V-E were etched in his mind.

An image followed; an image of himself and Daphne.

She was smiling at him, telling him that she loved him. He took her hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss.

I love you too, Daphne…

And when he opened his eyes, he realized that it was not Daphne's hand pressed against his lips, but the small gold ring. The ring which held the promise of a lifetime with another woman; a woman who was not Daphne.


	15. Chapter 15

He was still holding the ring in his hand when he heard her footfalls. Instinctively, he dropped the ring into his pocket. He rose at once, turning to face her.

"Did you get everything situated in your room?"

He couldn't help but notice the way she turned her face away from him; her eyes cast downward as though avoiding his gaze. But it wasn't difficult to tell from the glance at her rim-red eyes that she'd been crying again. It broke his heart to think that she was hurting so badly, but he didn't intrude again. Her efforts to hide her pain and hurt from him were by all accounts impressive, but thankfully, albeit slowly, she began to relax.

She'd been relatively silent from the time they'd started on their journey until he'd left her to unpack, but he could tell that she was making an effort to be sociable. And now he eagerly waited for an answer to his question. "Daphne?"

She looked up sharply, as though he'd startled her. "What?" Their eyes met only briefly before she cast her glance away again.

"Your room?"

"Oh, yes, it's very nice. Thank you, Dr. Crane."

"If there's anything you need, Daphne. Anything at all..."

"Thank you."

Dinner was quiet but pleasant as they talked about mundane things such as the weather. But as soon as dinner was finished, she emerged like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. She bombarded him with questions, barely giving him a chance to answer one before asking another. And those questions covered everything from the lake and the cabin to the history and geography of the area. He answered each and every question with as much detail as possible, although he couldn't help but wonder if the questions weren't a tactic similar to those used by some of his patients when they were trying to draw attention away from themselves. But he knew all too well that Daphne was worlds away from being one of his patients and it would be wise of him to respect her wishes in keeping whatever was bothering her inside. Ironically, by the time he'd answered all of her questions, he was certain that she'd become more knowledgeable than he when it came to the cabin and the area around it.

When the dishes were washed and put away, she followed him into his library where he settled onto the plush leather sofa, stealing glances at her. She moved about the library like a well-behaved child, her hands clasped in front of her. And then she turned to him.

"May I look at your books, Dr. Crane?"

The question surprised him. Normally he didn't like people touching his possessions. But this was Daphne. He considered her a friend; a good friend. And truth be told, he loved to think of the intimacy of her fingerprints on anything that belonged to him.

He smiled watching her pour over his collection of works by Middle Eastern poets. He knew that normally she'd never take interest in such subjects, which reminded him yet again of how very different they were. As though he needed a reminder.

She seemed to be struggling, trying to reach something from the top shelf, but for the first few seconds, his mind wasn't on helping her but on her physical presence. As she lifted her arm toward the ceiling, intent on reaching the mysterious object, he noticed the way her sweater raised just enough to reveal a sliver of bare flesh along her waist.

Dear God…

Suddenly his cheeks flushed and he had a flashback to that hot summer night when she'd stood in his living room, moving the hem of her white t-shirt up and down in front of his oscillating fan. Oh God, it was hot that night. It wasn't hot now, in the library of his cabin, but the feeling it brought… catching a glimpse of her bare skin, was exactly the same. Quickly he took a long drink of wine, ignoring the rush of alcohol as it went to his head.

As he watched her, he wished that he'd thought to be more selective in his purchases. He felt bad that he hadn't taken the time to invest in the kinds of books that he knew she liked, such as the romance novels that she was always reading. And then there was the abundance of classical music CD's that he owned. He could only imagine her surprise had he added some Billy Joel or Elton John CD's to the collection. The thought made him smile.

He returned his attention to the angel, standing by the bookshelves. She stood on her tiptoes, stretching her long, lean body even further. The effort defined her calves, her thighs….

Dear God…

He took another long drink of wine, wondering how he was going to get through the next few days.


	16. Chapter 16

"What's this?"

He continued to watch her for a few seconds more before rising to his feet in one fluid motion. "Do you need some help, Daphne?"

Her hand was still on the object and she struggled to reach it. "No thanks, I think I've got it."

"What have you found?" He couldn't help noticing the way she was carefully holding onto the edge of her sweater, as though she'd sensed that he'd seen her bare skin. She pulled the box down and examined the cover. "It's a puzzle."

"Not really." He replied, answering her unasked question. "I mean, considering that you are so…" When he saw her perplexed expression and the object in her hands, he suddenly realized… "Oh right, the puzzle! I'd forgotten all about that."

She smiled and looked at the box once more. "His Last Term as Governor, a Crime Scene Mystery." she read as she sat next to him on the sofa. "How interesting. I've never seen anything like this before."

Forgetting all about his book, he marked his place in it and laid it on the end table to give her his undivided attention. "Yes, I thought it was a rather interesting concept myself. I bought it for Dad last year so that he'd have something to do in the cabin if the weather got too cold. I haven't had a chance to put it together yet, but according to the instructions, the object is to complete the puzzle and the finished puzzle gives you clues with which to solve the mystery."

She laughed, causing his eyebrows to rise. "Too cold?"

"I-I'm sorry?"

"Your father complains if the temperature falls below sixty or if a single raindrop falls from the sky during his daily walks with Eddie. And yet, buy him a fishing rod and he'll gladly sit on a block of ice in the middle of a frozen lake!"

Niles threw his head back and laughed. And it felt wonderful. "You're right about that. He certainly enjoyed himself on that trip. And you know, despite all of the problems that we encountered that weekend, Frasier and I enjoyed ourselves as well."

She smiled and took his hand, causing him to shiver at her touch. "It certainly was nice of you and your brother to go with him, Dr. Crane. I know that ice fishing isn't exactly your cup of tea. But I also know that your father appreciated it very much; the way you went to so much trouble to prepare for it."

Niles smiled, remembering his impromptu shopping spree for ice fishing gear at stores like Eddie Bauer, Timberland and Polo; places that only a week before, he'd never even heard of. It certainly showed when he'd entered each store, feeling more out of place than if he'd walked into a pet store. Luckily the sales staff sympathized with his plight and went out of their way to make him feel welcome. And he showed his gratitude by way of his credit cards.

But something else jarred his memory….

"We said I love you for the first time on that trip."

When he looked up she was smiling. And then he noticed that she was still holding his hand. He'd spoken the words aloud, but he found that it felt wonderful to do so.


	17. Chapter 17

"Super Sleuth." She read, turning the box around to examine it further. "What does that mean? Is this some sort of advanced edition or something?"

Niles smiled. "I wanted to challenge him."

"You wanted your father to sit down and keep his mouth shut."

When he laughed he saw her grin. She knew him far too well.

"I'm right, aren't I, Dr. Crane?"

He grinned as well, but said nothing. He didn't have to.

"So what do you have for your brother?"

"This." He reached for a blue leather book with gold lettering and held it up for her to see. "Orson Wells; The Road to Xanadu, by Simon Callow. Long… brilliant, witty. But very, very long."

She smiled and then looked at the box again. "This puzzle is only eight hundred pieces!" She sounded disappointed and again he grinned.

"Well, I didn't want Dad to stay here forever."

She laughed once more and then returned her attention to the puzzle box. "Well, this looks like fun. Shall we?"

Before he even had a chance to answer, she was pouring the contents of the box onto the coffee table. His conscience told him to protest, but his heart fought back and he began to turn the puzzle pieces from their dull gray "wrong" side to their colorful "right side".

For several minutes they sat contentedly and quietly turning over the puzzle pieces. Suddenly he stopped and picked up the booklet that accompanied it. "His Last Term As Governor." He read. "It was an early morning at the Governor's mansion…."

As he continued to read, he felt her eyes on him. She had ceased turning over the puzzle pieces and was leaning against the back of the sofa, watching him intently. He tried to concentrate on the task at hand; the details of the mystery. But it was nearly impossible not to gaze at her lean, curvy body, sensuous even in her thick green and yellow sweater. When her expression changed, it took him several seconds before he realized that he had reached the end of the Introduction and that he was still holding the booklet in his hand.

"I love it when you read to me."

His mouth fell open in disbelief. Had she asked him to paraphrase what he'd just finished reading, he would have been able to do it. The words on the booklet were gone from his mind now; vanished, replaced with this compliment that he couldn't even comprehend the meaning of.

Suddenly he couldn't breathe; couldn't even think. He couldn't move, couldn't…. He just sat there, staring at her. He had no idea where he was or what had just happened.

He was just… there. He saw her mouth moving. She was speaking to him.

"…Crane?"

Her words, whatever she was saying, were faint. He tried to focus on her lips; those beautiful lips, the ones he wanted to kiss so badly….

"Dr. Crane?"

His name. She was saying his name. Or at least he thought she was.

"Dr. Crane!"

The words, the ones that formed his name, were clearer now, but he didn't have the strength to respond. And it was then that he noticed that she was gone. Perhaps that moment, or even all of the ones that lead up to this one, was but a dream.

She was back again, holding something against his mouth. As he heard the familiar crinkling sound, he realized what she'd done. He hadn't used the paper bag method in years but it seemed to work wonders, despite her close presence. She was so close that he could feel the outline of her body pressed against his. She was leaning into him, stroking his chest with slow, circular motions. Her other hand, he realized, was in his hair. Her fingertips moved slowly across his scalp, causing his breath to slow. But she took notice and immediately adjusted the bag against his mouth. The strokes of her hand against his chest increased and when the crinkling sound of the bag inflating and deflating came yet again, she slowly removed the bag from his lips and smiled. "There now, feeling better?"

He tried to speak but the words wouldn't come. Her hand was still on his chest, the other on his knee. He tried to speak again. "I-."

"Perhaps I should get you into bed."

Dear God…

If he had trouble breathing before, it was nothing compared to this time. And yet there was no paper bag to save him. He had to do this on his own.


	18. Chapter 18

"I'm fine." He stammered, even though he was not.

"That was the second time today." The gentle reminder was quiet, non-jugging, and filled with obvious concern. But the message was powerful, just the same. And she was right. He'd had two attacks, since they'd left Frasier's; the first in the car on the drive to the cabin. Both had occurred because of an impromptu invitation, one that, despite all that had happened, he still did not regret. She was still rubbing his chest, her hand warm and gentle. But it wasn't right. She was engaged. She was in love with someone else.

If only Mel had been the one sitting beside him, doing her best to soothe him by rubbing his chest. She was a doctor after all, and if she were leaning in close, the way Daphne was doing at that moment, tending to him so gently, he wouldn't be feeling so guilty right now.

Oh how he wished… He wished that he really and truly wanted Mel there instead of Daphne. But he was no fool. He knew deep down that it was Daphne he really wanted. Daphne; the angel who was sitting beside him, tending to him with a gentleness unlike he'd ever known.

With as much strength as he could muster, he sat upright. Daphne's hand fell from his chest to the safer region of his forearm and shoulder. But he found that his chest ached; a sign that it was missing the warmth of her touch.

"Daphne, why don't you like Mel?"

The question came out of nowhere, but truthfully it was a very real concern. Frasier, his dad and Daphne… he knew all too well that they weren't fond of Mel at all, even more so than they were of Maris. When his eyes met Daphne's she was starting at him, obviously surprised by the question. Her hand fell away from his arm and she moved further across the sofa from him, as though wanting to make some distance between them. He'd made her uncomfortable.

He waited, studying her face for any signs of what she might say.

"Tell me about her." She urged. "Perhaps I just don't know her well enough."

Suddenly he was in the spotlight. What could he possibly say about Mel? Perhaps he should try to remember what it was about Mel Karnofsky that made him fall in love with her. But he did not want to sound like a love sick fiancé. He had to tread carefully.

"Well, um, let's see. She's very witty. Why just the other day she said something that was remarkably clever, but now I can't…"

She was waiting for him to continue, perhaps wanting to know the witty thing that Mel had said. But the memory, if indeed it was an actual memory, was completely lost on him.

"I've forgotten." He admitted. "But she says things like that all the time. She's very witty."

Daphne smiled, letting him know that it was safe to continue. "Um, as you know she's very attractive. She's… meticulous, very witty. She's brilliant, of course, which is why she's at this seminar in Atlanta. The seminar is actually only for three days, but she is staying longer to offer her services."

"She's very good, isn't she?"

"Yes, one of the best plastic surgeons in the country". This time he didn't have to stammer over the words, for they were genuine, spoken from the heart. "Maris sang her praises all the time, and as you probably know, Maris was very hard to please."

He paused, resuming the task at hand, which was turning over the puzzle pieces. "Mel makes me feel as though I can achieve great things. She makes me feel that I can be the person that I've always wanted to be."

Daphne nodded, giving him the courage to add one last thought.

"She's perfect." And Mel was perfect. She was perfect in a way that he couldn't possibly describe. But she was not perfect like-

"Are you happy, Dr. Crane?"

Instantly he was reminded of a time, not long after he'd met Daphne. When, while sitting in Café Nervosa on a rainy afternoon, Frasier had asked him the same question. And ironically, the question that followed had been; "Are you in love with Daphne?"

Again she was waiting patiently, her hand having mysteriously returned to his arm. He knew that there was only one way to answer.

"Yes, I'm happy. I'm happier than I've ever been in my life. I'm in love."

It did not matter that as he spoke the truth, he was speaking not of Mel but of the woman who was sitting beside him.


	19. Chapter 19

"I hope that your happiness will last forever, Dr. Crane."

Her words warmed his heart and he wanted so much to reply; "It will, if you will only say that you love me the way that I love you." but of course she did not, prompting him to go the safe route, as he always did. Why was he such a coward?

"Thank you, Daphne. That means a lot to me."

As he stared at her, she turned her head until she was facing away from him and then returned her attention to the puzzle pieces. A single piece remained unturned. Niles reached for it at the same time that Daphne did. Their fingers touched and a familiar sensation went through him. Daphne let out a small gasp. "Did you feel that?"

He nodded. "We made a spark."

"We made a spark." She whispered in echo. Her fingers were still on the puzzle piece, still touching. And then their fingers moved closer. And suddenly he realized that they were holding hands. Slowly they gazed up at one another, neither of them daring to speak.

Oh God, he was going to kiss her. To hell with his ethics and whatever anyone thought. He was going to kiss Daphne Moon. From the look in her eyes it seemed that she sensed his next move as well. But she didn't move away. He moved even closer, close enough to feel her warm breath on his lips and then-

She was on her feet in one fluid motion. "It's time for me pills. Excuse me."

He rose from the sofa and took a few steps in an attempt to follow her, but then slowed his pace until he was standing still. Why should he even bother? She was obviously upset and most likely feeling guilty about what had almost happened between them. Where he once had felt optimistic, he was now numb inside. Finally, after denying it for so long, he was beginning to face reality. Daphne was with Donny, he was with Mel. Friendship aside, whatever he had with Daphne was over. And the hell of it was that whatever it was had never even begun.

He sat down on the sofa and took a long drink of wine. As he picked up the leaflet that accompanied the puzzle, he felt better. The Super Sleuth puzzle would keep his mind occupied for the remainder of the weekend. When Daphne returned from taking her pills, they would continue working on the puzzle. But until then he would concentrate fully on task at hand; solving the mystery.

Silently he began to read; "His Last Term as Governor; A Crime Scene Mystery. It was on an early autumn morning at the-."

He dropped the leaflet and rose to his feet. Daphne would need water for her pills. He hurried into the kitchen to get her a glass of water and then carried it upstairs. He stopped at her room (his room) and was about to knock when he froze at the muffled sound coming from the other side of the door, inside the room. It was the sound of muffled sobs.

His eyes burned with tears. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take this, knowing that she was hurting so. The hand that was poised to knock on the door opened, and he slid his fingers gently across the wood grain. "Tell me for God's sake." He pleaded desperately. "Tell me what's wrong. Please… talk to me."

The crying continued, painfully and sorrowfully. Touching the door again, he went into the guest room and opened the nightstand, retrieving a pen and a piece of paper. In rather messy handwriting, he wrote;

For your pills

He returned to the hallway and sat the glass on the credenza, along with the note before he headed downstairs, painfully at a loss for how to help her. If only she would let him.

If only…


	20. Chapter 20

The night progressed slowly and after a while he gave up on trying to read his book. With a sigh he marked his place once more and rose from his chair. Might as well try to get some rest. It had been a tiring day and he was completely exhausted. He climbed the stairs and headed for the guest room to get ready for bed. After showering and changing into his robe and pajamas, he crept down the hallway, pausing at Daphne's door… his door. He lifted his hand to knock, but then thought better of it. However it was nearly impossible to rid himself of the helplessness that he felt.

If only….

He was worried about her; even more so than before. But as he'd reminded himself over and over, it was best to let her come to him when she was ready. Yet he feared that she never would.

Oh Daphne…

With a sigh he climbed into bed, wishing that he'd remembered to bring his book from downstairs. Reading in bed had always seemed to relax him and he definitely needed to relax. He considered going downstairs to retrieve it, but he found that he was too weary to do so. Finally he reached for the switch on the lamp that sat on his bedside and pushed it, filling the room with darkness.

His head cradled by the pillow, he took one last glance at the clouds and stars outside the window before closing his eyes. But sleep would not come. Again and again he changed positions, pounding the pillow with his fist in an effort to make himself more comfortable, but it was of no use. He tried some of the meditative exercises that he often suggested to his patients who suffered from insomnia, but surprisingly they did nothing to lull him to sleep. Even thinking about (or rather, fantasizing about) Daphne didn't help. Perhaps he should look into other ways to induce sleep. He made a mental note to start looking for different methods as soon as he returned to work.

He glanced at the clock, dismayed to find that it was barely 2:30 in the morning. Dear God, how was he going to make it through the rest of the night? If only he could talk to her. But he didn't dare wake her. Still he couldn't help himself as he rose from the bed and put on his robe and slippers. Daringly he went to her room (his room) and paused once again. His trembling hand reached for the doorknob and turned.

His heart thundered, praying that he wouldn't awaken her. The door opened just a crack, making the tiniest squeak. She stirred briefly, causing his heart to pound even further. Dear God, what would he say if she woke up? What excuse would he give?

As quickly as she began to stir, adjusting her position in the bed, she stilled. He knew it was risky, but he continued to stare at her for a moment longer. She was so beautiful. Oh, how he longed to climb into bed beside her and hold her close through the night. Surrounded by the plush, down comforter and the heat of her body, he would be contentedly warm. He could almost picture it happening, almost needed it to happen; but he knew that it was just a dream. She didn't love him; not in the way that he loved her. And he would be wise to remember that. Disheartened, he closed the door.

How did the saying go? If you love someone, set them free? He had, in fact set her free. He set her free the night that she'd accepted Donny's proposal. And even though she was here, in the cabin with him , she wasn't really his, nor would she ever be.


	21. Chapter 21

Another sigh came as he turned and padded down the stairs into the familiar library. He poured a glass of wine and settled onto the sofa, wishing that he had a way to pass the time. He had no idea what time Daphne would awaken but he guessed that it wouldn't be until at least six thirty or seven and even that was a conservative guess. But he needn't worry about that now. He had to find something to do to pass the time. But what?

He picked up his book, which was still sitting on the coffee table, marked with the place where he'd left off. He opened to the page and began to read. But thirty pages in, he had absolutely no recollection of what he'd just read.

Angrily he slammed the book shut. This was absolute madness. Surely there must be something… And then he spotted it, the pieces scattered exactly as they had left them. Of course… the puzzle. What better way to take his mind off of things, than by absorbing himself in the mystery?

He began with the straight edge pieces. Those always seemed easiest. He tackled them the way he did everything else, with a plain, albeit an impromptu one. Finding pieces that fit together proved to be somewhat difficult (most likely due to the late hour and perhaps given the amount of wine that he'd consumed) but he soon found a comfortable rhythm. He worked diligently, paying little attention to how much he was accomplishing. But when he noticed the first sign of morning light, he knew that he needed to stop.

Daphne would be awake soon and he needed to be prepared.

Forgetting all about the puzzle (at least for the moment) Niles stood and went into the kitchen. He set to work with the same enthusiasm that he'd used in putting together the puzzle. It only took a few minutes to assemble them on a plate. He moved back and forth from the kitchen to the breakfast room. Just as he emerged from the kitchen, carrying a tray of jams, jellies, cream and sugar, he saw her come down the stairs. She was dressed rather casually but she was as always an absolute vision.

"Good morning." His voice sounded raspy; a sure indication that he hadn't slept well. But he hoped that she wouldn't notice.

"Good morning, Dr. Crane. I-" She paused, as though she was going to say something else, ask him a question perhaps, but then fell silent.

"I'll just set this on the table." He moved toward the breakfast room, taking in the sight of his presentation. He had to admit that it was impressive for such an impromptu effort. When he turned around she was smiling at him.

"You've been busy."

He was lost only for a moment until his gaze followed hers to the puzzle. And only then did he realize how engrossed he'd been in putting the puzzle together. All four sides were connected and the surrounding pieces nearing completion. When he looked closer, he realized that images were starting to form. He'd put together three people and the dog. And suddenly he was worried that he'd disappointed her. He liked to think of the puzzle as their project. Theirs…. What a wonderful word that was.

"I hope you don't mind." He said of the work he'd done on the puzzle. "I had trouble sleeping."

Back in the kitchen he felt her enter as he prepared another batch of Swedish pancake batter. "Coffee?"

When she nodded, he moved to get her a cup of coffee, but she shook her head.

"You're busy. I'll get it."

He poured the batter into metal pancake molds, watching her prepare the coffee. He'd been over to Frasier's a hundred times before when she'd made him coffee, rarely asking how he preferred it. But somehow she just knew; cream and sugar. It was such a small thing, but it meant the world to him. Dare he hope that she'd been paying more attention to him than he'd imagined?

Graciously he took the cup of coffee from her. "Thank you, Daphne."

He could feel her watching him as he brought the steaming cup to his mouth. But instead of consuming it right away, he inhaled softly, taking in its scent. And when her gaze did not move from his, he took a sip, smiling. "Perfect."

Her smile was, at that moment, the most beautiful sight imaginable. Then again, it always was.


	22. Chapter 22

He sat his coffee cup down and returned his attention to the pancakes. The aroma filled the kitchen and her smile told him that she approved.

"This is lovely." She said, her eyes sweeping over the breakfast table. "Why don't I put these out?" She reached for the pitchers of milk and juice and carried them to the table.

And when she returned, she waited for him to finish taking a sip of his coffee before gently taking the cup from his hand. "I'll carry this for you too. Unless you'd rather me carry the tray."

"Nonsense, Daphne. Allow me." He carried the tray into the breakfast room and arranged the contents on the table. They sat down to eat and ate in silence, save for a few small sighs. To his relief, she seemed content, but he worried that she was still upset again. And so he decided to ease into conversation as gently as possible.

"How do you like your room?"

She said nothing, her eyes downcast, as she ate her pancakes. And he couldn't help but worry.

"Daphne, are you all right?"

She looked up, as though he'd interrupted her thoughts. "I-I'm sorry. What?"

He smiled. "I was asking if your room was to your liking."

"Oh yes, it's lovely." Her voice was dreamy, for lack of a better word. But it warmed his heart just the same. "The view from the window is just-."

"It's incredible, isn't it? Sometimes when I'm here alone or when I've been here with…." His voice trailed away, as an image of the woman he'd sent off to Atlanta filled his head.

"Mel." She said quietly.

"Right, Mel. Um. Well, I…" He fidgeted in his chair, wishing that he hadn't brought up his fiancé's name, even absently. He knew that he'd broken his promise to call her every night. Last night when he couldn't sleep would have been the perfect time, given that it was much later in Atlanta than it was in Washington State. But he hadn't been thinking about her then and he'd barely thought about her since they'd parted at the airport. He could only imagine the anger that she would hit when he finally got a chance to call her, but he'd deal with that when the time came. It wasn't something that he was looking forward to, but he did his best not to think about it.

"These pancakes are wonderful, Dr. Crane."

The compliment lifted his spirits and he smiled. "Thank you, Daphne."

He hoped that her compliment would give way to meaningful conversation, or any conversation for that matter. But she said something further, bringing silence between them once more.

"Daphne, may I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Dr. Crane."

He thought for a moment before speaking. "Daphne, would you say that we're friends?"

Her worried expression and the way she laid her fork on her plate told him that he'd phrased the question correctly. She swallowed hard. "Well, unless you've changed your mind…"

"Nonsense. I would never-I care about you, Daphne. I always have and I always will." It was as close to a declaration of his love for her as he had ever come.


	23. Chapter 23

"Thank you, Dr. Crane." She replied some minutes later. "I-I care…"

About you too… He silently finished. When he looked up he noticed that she was crying again. No doubt that Donny had entered her mind once more.

"Daphne, I guess what I'm trying to ask you… badly it seems, is that… well… it would mean a lot to me if you would call me Niles."

His eyes searched hers, hoping for the slightest indication of what her answer might be. But he couldn't read her face. "Daphne?"

Her eyes met his. "I-I don't think…"

He smiled. "You've called me Niles before, remember?" Even if she did not, there was no way that he would ever forget. The Snow Ball… and the kiss. Oh, that wonderful kiss. It almost made up for the fact that she'd called him an actor. The memory still stung, but he had done his best to put it in the past. Still, he needed an answer to his question. "Daphne?"

She looked up once more. "Oh… I-."

"I know it's sudden and you don't have to decide right away. But I wish you would think about it. You're still Dad's physical therapist and Frasier's employee, but in light of all that has happened, I think that our relationship and our friendship are different now. I've always regarded you as a friend and I hope that you regard me as such."

But she shook her head. "Dr. Crane…"

His heart sank. He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. But it hurt just the same. "Ah, well... I guess I have my answer. I just hoped that maybe-."

She reached across the table and took his hand. "It's just not the right time."

Again her words stung, but there was no sense in risking upsetting her even further. "Of course." He replied. "I understand."

"Dr. Crane, my calling you by your formal name doesn't mean that we're not friends. Why would you question it?"

He sighed deeply. She was right. The question should have never been asked. But there was nothing he could do now than address the situation. However, he did so with remorse. "I'm sorry Daphne. We are friends. Good friends. And we'll always be friends, no matter what. I guess I... Well, you don't seem yourself lately. I hoped that if you felt comfortable enough to call me by my first name, you would feel comfortable enough to tell me what's bothering you. I want to help you."

She was on her feet and standing beside him, embracing him tightly. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. That means so much to me." She squeezed him a little tighter and he wanted to hold her like this forever. But it was wrong. She wasn't his and she never would be. And so he reluctantly drew back.

"I just… I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. Perhaps…"

He smiled sadly. "Well, perhaps gives me hope anyway. Thank you, Daphne."

When they finished their breakfast, she offered to help him clean up, but he politely declined, even when she insisted. "You're my guest, Daphne. You've helped me more than you know."

"But-."

"As the man of the house, I order you to go into the library and start pulling your weight on that puzzle." His mock sternness made her laugh out loud. And it was the most wonderful sound imaginable.

"You've already done the easy parts!" She pointed out, still laughing.

He couldn't argue with that logic. Blame the insomnia. "Now, get to work!"

She laughed and returned to the living room, warming his heart yet again.

Alone in the kitchen he washed and dried the dishes and then put them away in the cupboards as quickly as possible. He peeked into the living room where she was busy working on the puzzle, just as he'd asked. The sight made him chuckle softly.

For a moment he stood and watched her, making sure to stay out of sight. She was so incredibly beautiful and it took every ounce of strength he had inside of him to resist entering the room, sweeping her into his arms and kissing her. Oh God, how he wanted to kiss her. He wanted it so badly. But since he could not, there was only one remedy.

He needed air.

He returned to the living room and smiled. "Mind if I get something from your room?"

She turned her head and nodded. "Not at all."

He left the kitchen and hurried up the stairs. When he opened the door to his room (her room) he could feel Daphne's presence. He ran his hand across her bed, his bed. The bed where she'd slept….

Dear God…

His heart was beating so rapidly that he began to feel light-headed. He needed to sit down. The room began to sway slightly as he sank into the plush chair by the window. He closed his eyes and for a few seconds, he breathed deeply, wanting for his heart rate to slow. Moments later he stood again, suddenly at a loss as to why he'd come into his room.

Oh yes…

He went to his dresser and opened the door, expecting to do some searching for the item he needed. But there it was, folded neatly on top. Now he was confused. He didn't remember putting it there. But it had been a long time since he'd needed extra clothing, so it could have been a simple oversight.

He pulled the sweater from the pile and unfolded it. But as he did so, his nose caught a whiff of an unmistakable scent.

Daphne…


	24. Chapter 24

Daphne had worn his sweater. It carried the scent of her hair, her skin. It was like being wrapped in her arms. He pressed the sweater to his nose and inhaled deeply. Her scent filled his senses and even after he removed the sweater away from his nose, he could still imagine the scent of her. It was absolute heaven.

He slipped the sweater over his head and came down the stairs with a smile on his face. Daphne was still working on the puzzle and her progress was quite impressive.

"Any progression on the mystery?" He moved closer to her, smiling at the familiarity of the way she was so diligently working. It was exactly the way Frasier and his dad would have suggested. Start at the center and work outwards.

Without looking up, she continued putting pieces together. "Well, there was a broken vase next to the body as well as a broken picture frame with a large piece of glass that is somehow unaccounted for. Of course they could be red herrings, or-." She looked up, her surprised expression frozen on her face. He couldn't blame her, though. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd worn a sweater in her presence.

"O-or not." She finished her voice unsteady. Dare he hope that she find him attractive? Just the idea of it made his heart sing.

"C-could be." His voice seemed quiet, even more so than usual.

"I hope that we can finish this before we leave tonight." She remarked.

If ever there was an opportunity to rid himself of his cowardly demeanor, this was it. "Yes." He leaned forward, but his feet did not move. "Um, actually I was thinking that we could leave tomorrow morning."

She gasped, staring at him in disbelief. "Um, sure. It would give us more time to finish the puzzle."

"That's true, but-are you in any hurry to get back?"

"Not at all."

It was nearly impossible not to smile, but somehow he managed to do so. "Um, great. I need to… um… check something by the lake. I won't be long. Will you be all right?"

"I'll be fine."

He was out the door within seconds, eager to get some fresh air. The cold wind hit him square in the face and he winced. But he couldn't go back inside. Not just yet. Why had Daphne worn his sweater? And when? Was it yesterday afternoon when they'd arrived? Perhaps last night or even this morning? And then more pressing questions came. Was her room (his room) too cold? Damn, he should have shown her where the extra blankets were. What was wrong with him? But as selfish as it sounded, he was grateful that he'd forgotten his manners in not showing her the extra blankets. For if he had, she would not have found his sweater.

He started down the path, but then lost his balance, causing him to slip. The unexpected movement scared him but it only lasted a few seconds. He needed to keep moving.

The wedding band was firmly on his finger. He had put it there when he'd left the cottage, even when his thoughts were on Daphne. He walked to the end of the pier and stared out at the lake. Thin sheets of ice had begun to form around the edges, but the cold wind barely ruffled the water. This lake and the mountains that surrounded it were part of the most beautiful place in the world, and he'd seen more of the world than most people. Or at least it seemed that way.

With the ring on his finger and the sweater that carried Daphne's scent around his shoulders, guilt threatened to tear him apart. He took another deep breath. He'd only been down this path a few times before. And that was a few times more than Maris, due to her surprisingly understandable fear of wooden walkways.

He wondered what Frasier would think of his unplanned proposal to Mel, but he realized that he didn't have to wonder. He knew exactly what his older brother would say. Niles knew damn well what Frasier thought about Mel and it was time that he admitted it to himself. Mel was a rope that had been thrown down to him as he began to drown in a sea of despair. The sea of Daphne. Daphne, whom he had lost with one offer of stars.

He slipped the golden wedding band off of his finger. There was no sense in putting it off any longer. He didn't love Mel and frankly he wasn't sure that he ever did. The spontaneous proposal had been a mistake; he knew that now. He realized suddenly that he hadn't spoken to Mel at all since he'd left her at the airport. Cell phone service at the cabin was spotty at best, but the truth was that he hadn't given any thought at all to calling Mel since he and Daphne had arrived. However, he vowed to call her tonight.

He looked out at the shimmering lake once more. The ring in his hand, he envisioned throwing it as far as he could, watching it sail through the air and then landing in the water with a small splash.

And then it would be over. He glanced at the inscription again.

L-O-V-E

It was funny how powerful that word was, and how much it could change things. He knew who he loved.

And it was not Mel.

With tense muscles, he drew back his hand, aiming at the far end of the lake. He was no ball player of any kind and the ring, at his best effort, would hardly go ten feet. But at least it would be gone.

There was no turning back. He thought of Mel. He thought of Daphne. He thought about the hope and dreams he'd had when he'd proposed to Mel, as if doing so would make him realize that he did truly love her.

But it did not.

He slipped the ring back into his pocket. He pulled off the sweater. Icy wind shot through his clothes like needles as though waiting for the chance to attack. He held out his hand. The result would be the same if he threw it at full force or if he merely uncurled his fingers and let the ring splash into the water below.  
But his fingers held tightly to the ring, refusing to open. He could not do it.

He looked back toward the cabin. Daphne was there, waiting for him. It was time to go back to her.

Nothing else mattered.


	25. Chapter 25

Sometime later, his hand finally opened and he stared at the ring. But he did not throw it. Nor did he drop it into the lake. He slipped it back into his pocket. He would spend one more day with Daphne and then she would spend the rest of her life with Donny. It was as it should be, even if he hated the thought of it.

His skin was brittle with cold as he slipped the sweater back over his head, the scent of Daphne returning once more.

He started back toward the cabin. Daphne was waiting.

As soon as he opened the door, he felt the warmth. He looked around, amazed at the subtle transformation. A fire was burning in the fireplace and the aroma of fresh brewed coffee filled the air. But it was the sight of Daphne as she came toward him that warmed his heart. She was smiling which made him happy for reasons that he simply couldn't explain.

"Dr. Crane, you'll never guess what I-." She froze, gasping at the sight of him. He was suddenly aware that he was shivering and he felt her grabbing him by the arm as she pulled him inside.

"My God, you're blue! Come and warm up by the fire while I get you a hot drink."

She led him to the plush chair that sat directly across from the chair he'd sat in last night while holding his wedding ring in his fingers. She left only for a moment, returning with a wool blanket from the sofa, the one he kept in the hall closet, and wrapped it around his shoulders. Her fingers brushed across his frozen cheeks as she instructed him to sit. And then she was gone once more, returning seconds later with a mug of coffee. "Here, drink this while I make us some tea."

"Th-thank you, Daphne." He said through chattering teeth.

She thrust the steaming mug into his numb hands. "I-I don't know what I was thinking." He stammered.

"Nor do I." She said softly. "I thought you were smarter than that, Dr. Crane. What were you thinking, going out in such weather without your coat?"

He nodded, vowing never to make the same foolish mistaken again. "Th-thank you for starting the-."

"I lit it when you left… without your coat."

He looked up in surprise wondering how she could have known that he was referring to the fire in the fireplace. She claimed to be psychic, but even though he loved her, he didn't believe in such nonsense. And then her eyes met his as she gently touched his shoulder. "You silly sausage. I'll be right back with your tea."

He gazed blissfully at her even as she continued to frown with disapproval.

She hurried into the kitchen and returned with two mugs. He could tell immediately from the spicy aroma that wafted through the steam that the tea was cinnamon.

"Here you are."

He took the mug from her and smiled. "Thank you Daphne."

His teeth were no longer chattering but he was still shivering, which prompted her to briskly rub his shoulders until the shaking stopped. He smiled at her but she was not yet willing to return the gesture. Clearly he'd angered her more than he realized. Damn, he wished he hadn't gone outside at all. Casually he decided to change the subject. The last thing he wanted to do was to make her angrier.

"So… what have you been up to?"

Miraculously her frown slowly melted away and her expression was a burst of delight. It didn't surprise him at all, for no one was more quick to forgive than Daphne.

"Oh!"

"Well, you look happy. What's going on?"

"You'll never guess! I think I've solved it!"

"Solved what?"

"The mystery!"

His eyebrows rose. "You know who did it? But that's impossible! I was gone for less than an hour!"

She laughed. "I know! I can't believe it either. But I was just working on the puzzle and suddenly it started to make sense."

"Who was it?"

"Old Mrs. Ellerby." She said with a triumphant smile.

He was so surprised that he almost laughed. "Surely not! Mrs. Ellerby is in her late eighties! The family only keeps her employed because she's been there ages!"

"I know, but listen-."

He chuckled softly at her childlike enthusiasm. She glanced at his empty mug of tea and handed him hers, which was nearly half full. He took a sip, shivering once more. But this time it was not from the cold. His lips were on the same surface that hers had been; evident from the telltale sign of lipstick. He looked up and noticed her staring at him as though she'd lost her train of thought.

"You were saying?"

"Oh yes, Mrs. Ellerby. It was supposed to look like a suicide, right? The Governor's sleeping pills had all been removed from their packaging and the foil sheet was left by the chair."

He nodded. "I'm with you so far."

"What we're supposed to assume in the beginning is that someone killed him by giving him his own sleeping pills. But look. There's one pill that is still in the package. They're blue and yellow, right?"

"Right."

"Come."

He shivered once more when she took his hand and dutifully he rose from his chair. He followed her to the sofa and sat down beside her, the blanket still around his shoulders.

"Now, look closely at the flower pot."

Niles gasped in disbelief. "The pills!"

"Yes! Nine of them." Daphne's excitement matched his own. "Plus the one in the package. That means that two are missing."

But Niles was skeptical. "Hmm… They could be somewhere else."

"Look closely at the Governor's fingernails."

He leaned forward. "It looks like paper, stuck…"

"Yes, stuck. Now look again at the package of sleeping pills."

His mouth fell open. "It matches the broken safety seal! So the Governor did take his pills after all! Both of them, right?"

"And he was either asleep or groggy when Mrs. Ellerby came up behind him and-."

"Hit him over the head with the vase?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Nope. Strangled him."

This time Niles did laugh out loud. "What? No. She couldn't have! I'm not saying that she's not the murderer but it takes a person of great physical strength to strangle someone."

The youngest son of a former detective for the Seattle Police Department, he knew a lot about strangulations; more than he'd ever wanted to know.

"Right, but wait a minute. Listen to this. First of all, Mrs. Ellerby may be in her eighties but if you remember the booklet, it says that her assumed motive is that the Governor makes his servants work tirelessly to earn their keep. Mrs. Ellerby goes up and down stairs day after day, mopping the floors before sunrise, changing the sheets religiously, and she even flips the Governor's mattress twice a week."

Niles smiled. "The Governor likes a neat house. I can certainly relate. Although I would never-." He stopped, trying to push the memory of living in that atrocious mansion with Maris. He had to admit that he was fond of Marta and the staff who went to great lengths to make his home comfortable.

He was so deep in thought that it took him a moment to realize that Daphne's hand was on his arm. And when their eyes met, she smiled.

"I know you wouldn't do anything of the sort, Dr. Crane. But my point is that, eighty years old or not, you need some muscle to be able to flip a mattress. Those things are heavy!" She pointed to the chair on the puzzle. "Take it from a health care provider, Dr. Crane. Anyone who was sitting in that chair would have a lot of difficulty getting out of it in a hurry."

"Okay, so she's obviously capable. But surely her motive wasn't because the Governor made her clean the house week after week."

"That would certainly give her plenty of motive, but it was your father who made me realize how this murder occurred."

His eyebrows rose. "Dad? But he's not even here! How-."

She pointed to the Governor's neck. "Look."

He looked closer, noticing the red lines on the Governor's neck.

"Strangulation." She confirmed.

He nodded. "I see it, but-."

"Now look closer. You can just make out a faint imprint on the Governor's neck under the red lines. See the shape? It looks like a bone, don't you agree?"

"A bone?"

"The murder weapon was the dog's collar."

"And no one goes near the Governor's dog, but-."

"Old Mrs. Ellerby!" They shouted together.

"Oh, she loved that dog." Daphne said.

"And the Governor wanted to put the dog to sleep! You're right, Daphne! If anything would drive Dad to murder, it would be if someone laid a hand on Eddie! You've solved it! You're brilliant!"

Daphne was absolutely glowing and he had to admit that he'd never been prouder of her.

"I am brilliant, aren't I?" she replied, the smile plastered on her face.

But she was so much more than that. Brilliant, kind, beautiful, sexy, intelligent, sweet… were just a few of the adjectives that came to mind.

If only he had the courage to tell her how he felt.


	26. Chapter 26

Her hand was on his arm again, bringing him back to the present. "Dr. Crane, is something wrong?"

"What? No, I… Brilliant work, Miss Moon!"

His attempt at humor made her laugh but then she quieted.

He swallowed hard, realizing that in their excitement over solving the mystery, they'd moved closer to one another on the sofa and were now sitting so close together that their shoulders were touching. Dear God, he hoped that she didn't think-

She smiled at him but she didn't move away. "Spending so much time pouring over old crime scene photos and watching police dramas and action movies with your father certainly seems to have paid off, don't you think so?"

Niles chuckled. "Where were you when I needed you thirty years ago?" Immediately he froze. Dear God where had that come from?

"I-I don't understand."

He paused for a moment, trying to figure out why he'd asked the question in the first place. And then it came to him. "Frasier and I could have used your help on the stories we wrote together."

"You mean your Crane Boys Mysteries?"

He couldn't believe his ears. "Yes! How did you know? Did Frasier tell you about them?"

"No, actually your father did."

"Dad? But he never read them. He always told us that crime solving was for police officers and detectives, not for nosy little boys."

"Well, actually he was just being… well, your father. He told me that he used to read them to your mother when she was in the hospital and apparently he became hooked on them. I know that you think those stories are gone forever, but I happen to know that they're tucked away in a neat stack in a box on the top shelf of your father's closet. Oh, I wasn't snooping around your father's room, Dr. Crane, I promise. I was just looking for an extra set of sheets and when I saw the box I asked him about it. He showed me the stories inside and even let me read a few of them. They're quite good."

Niles fell silent as he took in this information. For so, so long he hoped that his father would take interest in the stories that he and Frasier had worked so hard to write. And to think that all of this time…

His gaze dropped to the blanket that was still wrapped around his shoulders. And when he looked up, Daphne's beautiful face was blurred by the tears in his eyes.

"Oh God, I've upset you!" She said in a frantic tone. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane. I never meant… I just thought-."

"It's all right." He said, his voice barely a whisper. "I just… I had no idea that Dad ever…"

Her hand went to his cheek and she brushed the tear from the corner of his eye with her thumb. And then she took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Your father loves you very much, Dr. Crane. Please don't ever forget that."

At the threat of more tears, he lowered his head and nodded. "Thank you, Daphne."  
She smiled as her gaze traveled from his face to the still-unfinished puzzle. And then their eyes met once more.

God how he loved her. He looked deeply into her eyes and-

"Daphne?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think that we should stay here for the rest of the week?"

She looked completely stunned. "Y-you mean here?"

"Yes."

"The two of us?"

"Yes."

"But what about your brother? He's expecting me to clean. And then there are your father's exercises, the laundry… and who will fix the meals?"

His heart sank. "You're right Daphne. How inconsiderate of me."

"Yes." She answered, rather abruptly. Suddenly he realized what she was referring to. And his heart began to sing.

"Yes?"

She squeezed his hand. "Yes."

They stared at one another, exchanging smiles. And he was happier than he could have ever imagined.


	27. Chapter 27

He glanced at his watch, noticing that it was nearly ten in Atlanta. Damn… It was much later than he anticipated; too late to call, really. But he had no choice. He'd promised, unintentionally anyway, that he'd call Mel every night while she was gone. And he'd already broken that promise. His eyes moved to Daphne who was quietly working on the puzzle. Now that the mystery had been solved, finishing the puzzle didn't seem quite so important. But he was happy to see her so content. He didn't want to leave her, even for a little while. But he certainly couldn't make a phone call to Mel in Daphne's presence. It would be awkward for everyone involved. Slowly he rose from the sofa.

"Daphne, would you mind if I did some work in my office for a little while?"

She smiled "No, not at all."

"Good. Um, can I get you anything? Something to eat or drink? Are you warm enough?"

"I'm fine. Thank you Dr. Crane. Take all the time you need. I promise I won't bother you. I'll just keep myself occupied here."

"Okay, well... I won't be long. But if you need anything…"

"Go do your work, all right?"

"Okay, but I won't be long. I-."

She gave him a look he knew all too well and he chuckled softly. But his smile disappeared when he reached his study and closed the door. He was not psychic, the way Daphne claimed to be, but it didn't take a premonition or any psychic ability to know that the conversation with Mel would not go well.

He pulled out the leather chair and sat down, his heart pounding in his chest. He had no idea what he was going to say to her, but they had a lot to talk about. It was a conversation that he most certainly didn't want to have, but he'd been a coward long enough. It was time that he stood up for himself and for what he believed in; true love. He did not love Mel and she deserved to know the truth.

The phone receiver was in his hand and he dialed information. Almost instantly the recorded greeting began to play:

"What city, please?"

"Um, Atlanta… Georgia." He stammered, almost grateful to be speaking to a machine rather than an actual person.

"What listing, please?"

He hesitated. Damn, which hotel was she staying at again? Oh yes, of course. The Four Seasons. Nothing but the best, even when she was away on business. He couldn't blame her, though. The Four Seasons had a stellar reputation and the hotel brand was, by all accounts, the ultimate in luxury.

"Four Seasons." He managed to blurt out.

"Please hold for the number."

He grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, poised to write.

"The number is area code 404-881-9898. Again that number is… area code 404-881-9898. For an additional charge-."

He pushed the button to end the call and sat for a moment, trying to calm himself. And when his heart rate slowed, he began to dial. "404-881-9898" he repeated, slowly pressing each number. It began to ring and ring. And suddenly the ringing stopped.


	28. Chapter 28

"Four Seasons Atlanta." The hotel operator answered. "How may I direct your call?"

"Mel Karnofksy's room please."

"One moment, sir."

He waited patiently, trying not to let his thoughts drift to the angel who was sitting on his sofa working on the puzzle… alone.

"Sir, I don't have a Mel Karnofksy registered at this hotel."

"What? But that's impossible! She told me… Can you check again, please?"

"Just a moment."

Another pause and then…

"I have a Melinda Karnofksy, is that who you needed to speak to?"

"Um yes. I'm sorry. I didn't realize that she'd used her formal name. May I speak to her please?"

"Of course. Let me connect you. One moment."

He found himself smiling. Mel rarely if ever used her formal name, but truth be told he wished that she would. Melinda was such a beautiful name; much more pleasing to the ear than Mel, which sounded like it could be the name of one of his father's detective partners or his fishing buddies. Oh, if Mel could read his thoughts at that moment, he'd be in big trouble.

"Hello?"

Her voice was groggy, indicating that she'd been asleep. That was certainly odd. For Mel was not normally a woman who went to bed at such an early hour. Then again, the three-hour time difference would alter anyone's sleeping habits.

"Hello Mel. It's me."

"Niles, what in the hell?" She snapped, jarring him a bit with her abruptness. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"O-of course. And I'm sorry it's so late. I just-."

"Why haven't you called me? I told you to call the night you dropped me off at the airport!"

"I know, Mel. And I'm sorry. It's just that…things got in the way."

"What things, Niles?"

"Well…"

"Did you get the rings?"

"Yes, of course. But-."

"And you went to Bergdorf's like I told you, right?"

"Of course Mel. And I spoke-."

"With Bryan. I know. I called and checked."

Anger surged through him. "You what?"

"I called and-."

"Damn you, Mel! You had no right to check up on me like that! I'm a grown man and when I said that I'd go to Bergdorf's and speak with Bryan I meant it! How dare you?"

"Um, calm down, Niles! The maids can hear you!"

"That's nonsense, Mel! The Four Seasons is a four star hotel. There's no way that housekeeping can hear our phone conversation through the door."

"Well..."

"Damn, I can't believe you would call and check up on me like that!" he shouted. Yes, I got the damn rings and yes, I spoke to Bryan and yes, I got a plain gold band for myself and a diamond cross setting for you, just as you asked! Is there anything else I missed? I –how can you… How…"

"Calm down, Niles! I merely wanted to make sure that everything would be perfect for our wedding. Unexpectedly I've found that I have a lot of free time here in Atlanta. These conference speakers are such a bore and they drone on and on and well… to tell you the truth, I wish I'd never come to this conference. I'd rather be back in Seattle planning the perfect wedding. And it will be perfect, Niles. Just leave everything to me and it will be so. But fortunately the free time has given me a chance to do some planning here in the hotel room."

While he wasn't fully paying attention to her before, he was now listening to every word intently.

"Planning?"

"For our wedding, Niles. Haven't you been listening to a word I'm saying? Honestly Niles, after we're married you are going to have to start paying closer attention to me. Surely you haven't been so caught up in… well whatever it is that you've been doing that made you too busy to call me-."

The wedding… Suddenly he hated the sound of those words.

"Um, Mel… about that..."

"I've purchased an off the shoulder white gown at the hotel bridal boutique here in Atlanta and tomorrow I have an appointment to have it altered. And Niles, I need for you to-."

He tried again. "Mel... about the wedding."  
"Now don't interrupt me, Niles. This is important!"

"And what I have to say is important too, Mel!" He shouted.

"Oh for God's sake, Niles! What can be more important than our wedding-?"

He sighed, no longer able to contain his composure. The headache that had been forming in his head as nearly a full blown migraine. The pictures on the wall in his small study were now blurred images in front of his eyes. He couldn't take it any longer.

"Mel, there isn't going to be a wedding!"

The silence that followed was deafening, lasting several seconds until she spoke again.

"What in the hell is that supposed to mean? Is this your idea of a joke? Well, I don't find it very funny, Niles!"

He swallowed hard. "It wasn't meant to be funny, Mel. I-."

Another pause, as though his words were finally starting to sink in.

"What, Niles? What are you saying? Are you saying that you don't want to marry me?"

"Well, I-."

"Just say it, Niles! Just say it, all right?"

The pounding in his head increased. "Look, maybe we should discuss this when you get back."

"NO, Niles! NOW!" She screamed, making him cringe. Surely the housekeeping staff heard her ridiculous outburst.

"Mel, look… this is not the time and I'm sorry I brought it up. I should have waited till you come back, but now that it's out… I'm staying at the cabin for the week, which is longer than I had planned, but I need to go back to Seattle for a while to make arrangements for my patients. Why don't we meet and we can discuss this further? I'll call you when I'm finished with my work and we can-."

"DAMN YOU, NILES!" She screamed. Her sobs did not tear at his heart the way that Daphne's sobs had done, but rather, they reminded him of how selfish his soon-to-be ex-fiance had been.

"Mel, I'm sorry. I-."

"TODAY, Niles!" she screamed.

"What? But Mel-."

"We'll discuss this today, tonight at the latest! Am I making myself clear?"

"Mel, I-."

"TODAY, Niles!" She screamed again, as though he'd not heard her the first time. "So you'd better get here as soon as you can! Call me the moment that you get in! Swear it!"

"I-I will, Mel. I swear. I'm sorry. I just-."

The drone of the dial tone in his hear was deafening and he wearily sank into his leather chair, wishing that he'd never proposed at all.


	29. Chapter 29

He took a few moments (and several aspirin) to collect himself before returning to Daphne. He couldn't let her see him in such an emotional state. True to her nature, she'd insist on knowing what was wrong and would want to help him, but he simply didn't have the energy to explain anything at the moment. However, he realized that he was now faced with an even bigger dilemma. Mel wanted to see him immediately. How was he going to tell Daphne? What would he possibly say? He couldn't lie to her. It wasn't right. But he preferred to keep his problems with Mel to himself. Daphne was happily engaged and no matter what was hurting her, he'd be damned if he'd burden her with his personal problems on top of everything else.

He picked up the phone and dialed his office. Mrs. Woodson (bless her soul) always checked his voice mails and since he hated to call her at such a late hour (even by Seattle's standards) he simply listened to his voice, prompting the caller (Normally patients and potential patients) to leave a message.

And then he heard the beep.

"Mrs. Woodson, this is Dr. Crane. I want to thank you for taking care of things while I'm away. There's been a slight change of plans and I'm going to stay here at the cabin for the rest of the week. I'm coming to Seattle today to… um… take care of some things. But first I intend to stop by the office and see if any of my patients need to be referred to my colleagues while I'm away. I'll be there as soon as I can."

He hung up, feeling a bit relieved. At least when he told Daphne that he needed to return to Seattle on business, it wouldn't be a lie. He went back to his study and retrieved his briefcase, filing it with papers and file folders that he might need. And then he hurried into his bedroom (the guest room) and packed the overnight bag with things he might need. He wasn't intending on being gone more than a few hours, but it was best to be prepared for any situation. God willing, he'd be back by nightfall at best.

The bag and his briefcase in hand, he came down the stairs.

His heart was heavy as he returned to the living room. Daphne was sitting on the sofa, thumbing though one of his books. He stood with his hand on the doorway, watching her for a moment. Oh how he hated to leave her, even for a short time. But he had no choice. Mel was insistent and he had no idea what she was capable of. Although he would never admit it out loud, he was afraid of her.

"I was wondering where you'd gone. I thought that maybe our mystery-solving had worn you out." Daphne said, keeping her eyes on her book. But when she finally turned to him, her face registered surprise.

Suddenly he was at a loss for words. "Daphne, I-."

Instantly her hand went to his arm and she was staring at him through worried eyes. "Dr. Crane is something wrong?"

"Um, no… I… Daphne, can we talk for a moment?"

"Of course." She moved over on the sofa, making room for him to sit beside her.

He stared into her beautiful brown eyes. "Daphne, I-."

"Yes?"

"I… Um… I need to go back to Seattle. Right now, in fact. That's why I was gone for so long. I was in my room, packing."

He was painfully aware of the way she turned her face away. Damn, he'd upset her again.

"I-I see…" she said, her voice unsteady. Her eyes moved to his briefcase and the overnight bag that sat at his feet. "Well, I suppose I should start packing, then."

"There's no need." He said quickly. "It's just for a little while and then I'll come right back. If we're going to stay here for the whole week, I need to make sure that my patients are taken care of. "

She nodded and when she turned her face back to him, he saw the tears in her eyes. Damn...

Damn that Mel for putting him in this predicament.


	30. Chapter 30

His heart went out to her and he wished that he'd never made that damn phone call.

"Daphne, are you all right? I promise I won't be long. You can come with me if you'd like. I can drop you off at Frasier's so that you can do whatever you need to do and I'll go by my office and… take care of some things. When I'm finished, I'll come and pick you up and we'll be back on the road as quickly as possible."

"I'll stay here." She said quickly.

The statement surprised him. "Alone? Are you sure?"

"Yes. Unless you don't feel comfortable about it."

He smiled and boldly reached for her hand. "Of course it's all right, Daphne. You're welcome to stay here. I trust you completely. I just- Are you sure that you want to stay here by yourself?"

"Yes."

Her tone was harsh, but he didn't question it. And perhaps it was better if he went alone. If they were to go together, there was a good chance that one or both of them would change their minds about staying at the cabin for the rest of the week together. And he knew that he wouldn't be able to stay at the cabin alone for the rest of the week. He needed her… desperately. Especially now.

"Well, if you're sure."

She took his hand and squeezed it gently. And then she smiled. "I'll be fine."

He nodded. "All right. I just need to get something from my office and then I'll be on my way."

He turned on his heels and went to his office to collect his thoughts. And then he opened the drawer on the right hand side and removed the small black velvet box containing Mel's wedding ring. Technically it was his since he'd paid for it, but giving it to her was the least he could do after breaking off the engagement so suddenly.

Within seconds, he was back in the living room. "All right, then. I guess that's it."

"I'll walk you to your car."

His heart warmed at her thoughtfulness.

Together they walked out of the cabin, their footsteps the only sound as they made their way down the porch steps and to the driveway where his car was parked. They stood facing one another and neither of them seemed to know what to say. But the fact that they were able to smile so easily at one another made the awkwardness melt away… at least for the moment.

"If you need anything, anything at all, call Karen and Sook Kwen at the bed and breakfast. They cook, cater, deliver groceries and can repair practically anything from leaky faucets to computers." He was rambling, and he knew that he sounded ridiculous, but he was trying to make their goodbye last as long as he could.

To his relief, Daphne laughed. "I will, Dr. Crane. But don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

He stared at the ground and then looked up at her. "Well, I…"

"Will you do me a favor, Dr. Crane?"

He hadn't expected the question. "Yes, of course."

"There's a blue bag next to me door at home, just inside me room. Could you bring it when you return?"

His eyebrows rose. Why on earth would she have a packed bag in her room? But there was no time to question it. The sooner he went to Seattle and straightened out the mess he'd made of his relationship with Mel the better. Right now that was what was most important. But he had to answer Daphne's question and this time there was no hesitation.

"Um, yes, of course. I'll bring it." He said of the mysterious blue bag.

"It has everything I need." She continued. "I hope it won't be an imposition. Your brother-."

"Don't worry about Dad or Frasier. I'll deal with them. But Daphne, if you want to come along-."

"No."

Her quick response stung, but he simply dealt with the pain. And then she spoke again.

"I-I mean… I hope your father and brother won't be angry. I-I didn't exactly tell them that I was leaving."

"I'll take care of it." He opened the car door and was about to get in when he heard-

"Dr. Crane?"

He stopped and turned to her. "Yes?"

"Drive carefully. Please?"

It was the absolute last thing he expected her to say. And to think that she cared about him enough to say something so wonderful. Impulsively he hugged her and kissed her cheek. The kiss was an act that surprised them both. But he was even more surprised when she leaned against him; her scent lingering under his nose.

Still holding her, he sighed. "Thank you, Daphne. And if you need anything-."

"Yes, I know. I'll call the Kwens."

He smiled and touched her arm. "Good. But I was going to say that I have my cell phone with me, so please don't hesitate to call."

She hugged him again. "I will. Now you'd better go before it gets too late."

He said nothing as he walked to his car and climbed inside; realizing that he'd left the door open. Quickly he closed it and buckled his seat belt. The engine started and he carefully backed out of the driveway, wishing like hell that he didn't have to go at all. These next few hours away from Daphne were going to feel like an eternity.

As he drove off he waved to her, keeping his eyes on her in the rear-view mirror. Her beautiful image became smaller and smaller until she finally disappeared from sight.

"Don't worry Daphne. I'll be back soon."

Never had he meant anything more.


	31. Chapter 31

Niles smiled at the woman who, in the year since he'd known her, had become so much more than his secretary. He took her hands in his and squeezed gently.

"Mrs. Woodson, I can't thank you enough for all of your trouble. I know it's an inconvenience."

"That's ridiculous, Dr. Crane! You know that it was no trouble at all and it's certainly not an inconvenience. I was happy to do it!"

His thumb moved across her hand and he hoped that she would take the gesture as a sign that he cared about her tremendously. "Well, even so it took a lot of effort to rearrange things and some of my patients don't respond well to change, especially if they are referred to other colleagues. In all honesty, I hated to do it, but-."

"Dr. Crane, you deserve to take some time off. I don't know the first thing about your line of work … well, not enough to have an intelligent conversation, but I know that what you do is difficult, dealing with people's problems and trying to find some sort of resolution. And then you have to do home and deal with your own life and any problems that might arise. I can't even imagine…"

He nodded. "It can be difficult; that much is true."

"That's why I'm glad you have your lady friend. The plastic surgeon. Oh dear, I've forgotten her name."

"Mel."

The name of his fiancé (or rather, his soon to be ex-fiancé), came out a bit harsher than he intended but to his relief, Mrs. Woodson seemed not to take notice. She simply smiled and nodded. "Yes, that's right. Mel. How is she?"

"Well I'm going to see her after I leave here."

"I see. Well, I certainly don't want to stand in your way, so I'll just finish up here and-."

"Mrs. Woodson?"

She paused, her hands frozen on the file folders that she held in a neat stack. "Yes, Dr. Crane?"

"I-."

The file folders moved to her desk and she laid her hand on his shoulder. "Are you all right?"

He paused, not quite sure how to answer that question. But he simply took a deep breath and gave her the answer he knew that she wanted to hear. "I-I will be. But I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for springing all of this on you in such short notice. This all came about so unexpectedly and I promise that I will pay you accordingly."

"Oh Dr. Crane, you know that I'm not worried about the money. But I am worried about you."

His cheeks flushed. There were times, like this one for example, when she reminded him so much of his mother. Someday he planned to tell her. But he couldn't do it at that moment. He had a much more important engagement. And the word engagement made him cringe.

"Thank you, that's very sweet, Mrs. Woodson, but there's really no need to worry about me."

"Isn't there?"

His eyebrows rose. "I-I'm afraid I'm not following."

"Look, Dr. Crane. I don't want to meddle in your private life and I would never dream of doing so, but are you sure that everything is all right?"

He nodded. "It's sweet of you to be concerned, but I-I'm fine."

He hated himself for lying to the sweet lady. She didn't deserve it. But he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth. The truth was that he was torn between two women; one he had promised to spend the rest of his life with but no longer loved. And the one that he so desperately wanted but could not have.

He opened his mouth to thank his sweet secretary (or Administrative Assistants they were called these days, but he much rather preferred to call her his friend) but the words would not come. To his relief when he returned his gaze to hers, he found that she was smiling sympathetically.

"Well, it's good that you're taking time off, Dr. Crane. You deserve it more than anyone."

He nodded. "Yes, I suppose that's true, but-."

"You work so hard; harder than most. I don't know how you do it."

"It's not easy." He admitted.

"Of course it's not, between your father and your brother and that woman you're seeing. What's her name again? It starts with an M but I just can't-."

"Mel." The sound of her name on his lips was unpleasant but he did his best to keep his tone friendly. He wasn't sure if it was the fact that she preferred the more traditional man's name of Mel to her formal name; Melinda (which was a beautiful name), or the fact that he knew that he'd have to face her soon. He wanted to simply turn around and go back to the cabin, to Daphne. But he couldn't avoid confrontation with Mel any longer. It had to be done. The sooner he saw her, the sooner it would be over.

His eyes, which were cast downward, returned to Mrs. Woodson. Once again, she was smiling. Bless her.

"Right… Mel… I can see how happy you are, Dr. Crane. And I'm glad. You deserve every happiness."

Suddenly he felt the urge to tell her everything. He knew that no matter what she'd be supportive. But he also knew that he could no longer keep his uncertainty bottled up inside.

He ran his tongue over his dry lips. "Um, Mrs. Woodson? About Mel…"

But before he could continue, he found himself wrapped in a hug that was more than welcome. "I love you, Dr. Crane. I hope you know that. You may be my employer and have been for many years, but you're a wonderful man. Mel is lucky to have you."

His chest constricted a bit at the sound of Mel's name, but he simply hugged her a bit tighter.

"Thank you, Mrs. Woodson. You're a wonderful person and I love you too."

He kissed her cheek and then he was on his way.


	32. Chapter 32

His heart pounded in his chest and for a moment he almost wished that he'd confided in Mrs. Woodson. He'd never really confided in her before. She was after all, his employee and it was best to keep things on a personal level. But over the years he'd come to think of her as a friend. And as friends it would have been nice to open up to her and release his fears about his relationship with Mel; to hear a different point of view would have been, at the very least, refreshing. But like so many other moments in his life, he'd missed his chance.

Damn that Mel for putting him in such a predicament; for giving him such feelings of apprehension apprehensive. The sooner he talked to her and got the dreaded discussion/argument about their relationship out of the way, the sooner he'd be able to run by Frasier's, pick up Daphne's belongings and be on his way back to the cabin.

It had only been a short time since he'd left her but it felt like months. He missed her so much that he physically ached. It was that thought, that incredible urge to see her again that motivated him; gave him strength. He could do this. He had to do it, if only for himself. Perhaps he could never have Daphne but he would have something else; his freedom.

He drove on for what seemed like an eternity, but was in fact only about fifteen minutes, and when he reached the familiar steel grey and tan apartment complex, his chest began to tighten. Just looking at the home of Mel Karnofsky was enough to set him on the verge of hyperventilation. But as soon as the all too familiar feeling began, he fought to control it. He couldn't break down; not just yet.

For a split second he wondered what might happen if, in fact, the dreaded meeting with Mel were to go badly ( and he knew without a doubt that it would) and he returned to the cabin (and Daphne) even more wounded than before, like a wounded soldier returning to his home.

Surely Daphne would see how broken he'd become and ask him what was troubling him. Would he say nothing in response and leave it at that, as he'd done with Mrs. Woodson? Or would he break down and tell her everything (except the he'd fallen in love with her the moment he'd laid eyes on her)? He could only imagine her reaction.

It could, of course, go two ways. She could simply be the friend that she'd always been; offering a sympathetic smile and a soft "I'm sorry". It was what was expected of her, what she'd always done. However, she might completely empathize with him; perhaps kiss his cheek, softly touch his hair and then take him into her arms and hold him, letting him know that she was there for him and would always be there for him. Oh how he wished that would happen.

Slowly the wonderful scenario faded away, bringing him back to the harsh reality. He looked up at the home of Mel Karnofksy; his soon to be ex-fiancé. The meeting was not going to go well. It would not go well at all. In fact it would be much worse than he anticipated; he knew that for certain. But if, when it was over, it meant that he would be free of Mel's wrath, it would be worth it.

With a sigh, he unfastened his seat belt and climbed out of the car. His stomach was tied in knots and his heart was beating faster than a heart should have a right to beat. And, as he made his way to the door, his head began to cloud, over with stuffiness, most likely brought on by the incredible stress of what he was about to do.

Mel did that to him; made him feel anxious, second-rate, self-doubting and insignificant. Perhaps she'd always made him feel those things. If he'd felt this way before, he hadn't noticed it. That's what love did to a person; made them feel things they wouldn't normally feel and ignore the bad feelings. In Daphne's case it was the complete opposite. The things she made him feel were feelings that he cherished; that he wanted to wrap around him like a warm blanket. Even if she didn't know it, she made him feel loved. And his love for her made him feel those things again and again.

He did his best to carry that feeling; that oh so wonderful feeling with him as he was whisked to the top floor and minutes later, found himself standing at Mel's door. As long as he had the feeling that Daphne brought him, he was prepared for anything.


	33. Chapter 33

To say that the meeting with Mel had not gone well was a vast understatement. To say that it was horrible didn't even begin to describe it accurately. In fact, it was the worst forty five minutes of his life.

He should have seen it coming when she opened the door.

She was on her cell phone telling the unknown caller on the other end of the line all about her trip to Atlanta. It took several moments before she finally seemed to notice his presence, which resulted in her obvious reluctance to end her phone call. And then the war began.

Almost immediately after she opened the door and ordered him to come inside she began to berate him. She accused him of arriving later than they had agreed upon. Of course, explaining the reasons for his late arrival (which in fact, were caused solely by the few moments that he sat in the car thinking of Daphne and his life in general) was pointless. Justifying his reasons for being late by saying that he had been at the cabin for a few days (and she knew all too well that the drive back to Seattle from the cabin took a while) was pointless and the moment the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them. As expected, she immediately shot him down, lecturing him on the fact that her time was valuable, implying in no uncertain terms, that his time was not.

The battle grew.

Apologies, explanations and the like were shot down as well, replaced with angry, stinging, hurtful words, most of which made him flinch. When at last she calmed down enough to allow him to speak, he found that there was nothing left to say. He removed the small velvet box from his pocket containing her wedding band and gave it to her.

"I believe this is yours." He said hoarsely.

Her eyes flared. "Niles Crane if you expect me to pay for this-."

"Take them. They're yours. I don't want your money, Mel. In fact I don't want anything from you. And you've made it abundantly clear that you don't want me. I-."

To his horror, she began to cry. He hated it when she cried. It softened her; made her seem almost human. And for a split second he considered comforting her; reaching for her hand, telling her that he was sorry. But then he heard-

"GET OUT, NILES!" she screamed, ugly tears making their way down her cheeks.

"Mel, I-."

"GET OUT! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN, EVER!"

He gasped when he saw her lift something (he couldn't be sure what it was) from the table and raise her arm. Dear God, the woman had gone completely mad. She was planning on throwing something at him! She was completely out of control and the sight terrified him.

"Mel, please! I-."

"GET OUT!" she screamed again.

Shaken, he turned and walked out of the apartment, flinching when she slammed the door so hard that he heard the wall rattle. Without looking back, he made his way to the elevator and through the lobby. He kept moving until he reached his car and climbed inside.

His anger was surfacing, almost as an afterthought and he chided himself for the things he didn't say; the things he wanted to say; should have said, but did not.

After all that he'd done for her, after all of the hell that she'd put him through, and after the love he had shown her, how dare she!

The car backed out of the driveway with a screech and he slammed on the breaks when he reached the entrance to the street, jerking himself foreword. With a squeal, the car turned onto the road and he drove much faster than the law allowed.

Damn her.

Damn her for everything. The hurtful stinging words she'd spewed at him resonated in his mind. He felt like a child who had been scolded; like a soldier reprimanded by his drill sergeant. Mel's latest tyrant was much, much worse than anything Maris had ever displayed.

His chest hurt, as though it had been bruised. And, theoretically, it had. He felt as though she had punched him. And he shuddered to think that she had actually considered throwing an object at him. He should call the police; or better yet, tell his father that he'd been threatened. But he knew that it wouldn't do any good, even though his father had strong ties to the Seattle Police Department. Getting Mel involved with a legal battle would only cause him more headaches than he could stand. At least she was out of his life forever; or so he prayed. And he thanked God that they hadn't gotten married.

Damn her.

He felt his eyes well with tears but he made no effort to brush them away. What was the point? At least he hadn't given her the satisfaction of seeing him broken. And he would never give her that satisfaction. Never.

Before he realized it, the Elliott Bay Towers came into view. It was a welcome sight. His visits to his brother's home were, at times enjoyable (especially if Daphne was there) and the truth was that he sometimes felt more at home at Frasier's than he ever felt at the mansion when he was married to Maris.  
At his brother's he would find solace (or so he hoped) and that solace would be enough to get him through the hours until he could return to Daphne.

God, how he missed her. And now, after the traumatic meeting with Mel, he missed Daphne more than he thought possible. He needed her, as soon as possible. And frankly, as soon as possible couldn't come soon enough.


	34. Chapter 34

His fingers trembled as he rang the doorbell and Frasier's expression, once the door was answered, was one of complete surprise.

"Niles, what are you doing here?"

"Well, I-."

"If you're looking for Daphne, she's not here." His father said from behind his newspaper.

Niles looked up in surprise. "No, I-."

Frasier turned to the older Crane. "Dad, please!"

"He deserves to know, doesn't he?"

"Wait a minute." Niles said. "What are you talking about?"

Frasier ran a hand through his hair. "Well, Niles… Actually Dad and I have been kind of worried about Daphne."

Snapped to attention, Niles felt his heart skip a beat. "Worried? Why? What's happened?"

"I don't know, exactly."

"Frasier, if something is going on with Daphne, I need to know!"

"Niles, just calm down, okay? I shouldn't have said anything at all. It's just that… well, after what happened with Donny, I don't really blame her for leaving, but she could have at least told us herself."

"Told you what? I don't understand. What does Donny have to do with this? Frasier?"

His heart was racing. Dear God, he was about to learn the truth about why Daphne had been so upset since he'd arrived in this very living room and found her completely distraught. Suddenly he wasn't sure that he wanted to know. He felt like a traitor; as though he was about to learn the deep, dark secret that Daphne had been keeping from him. But he realized that he needed to know. It was the only way to help her.

"All right Niles, I'll tell you." Frasier said. "But first I need for you to understand that I'm telling you this in coincidence. I'm sure that Daphne would rather-."

"Damn it, Frasier, tell me!" Niles yelled.

The room fell silent. Niles' outburst had shaken them all; even his farther, who glanced at him only for a moment before returning his attention to his newspaper. Niles took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself, but the effort was useless. However, when he spoke, he did so slowly.

"Frasier please. Tell me what's going on with Daphne."

"Niles, I really don't think this is the time or the place."

Anger rose inside of him and he was dangerously close to the boiling point. "TELL ME, DAMN IT!" he shouted, even louder than before.

"Niles for God's sake, calm down!" Frasier ordered. "What in the hell is wrong with you?"

He began to pace the room. "I don't know! I-I don't know, all right? I don't know anything anymore!" When he stopped, he saw his brother's expression soften.

"I think you do." Frasier said quietly.

Niles turned and stared out at the Seattle skyline through Frasier's large picture window. At that moment he wanted to cry; oh how he wanted to. Ironically, given the circumstances, he knew that his brother and father would understand. But he simply could not do it.

"Niles, what's going on? What's happened?"

"Mel and I are through." The words left his mouth, but sounded foreign to his ears. He should have been happy; elated even, but instead he felt numb. And once again the room fell silent.

He couldn't look at his father or Frasier, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw his dad rise from his chair and grab his cane. He knew what was coming next.

"Aren't either of you going to say anything?" Niles demanded. He hadn't expected this; the silent treatment. Didn't they have any kind of reaction at all? "Look, I'm sure that you both are happy about this, and-."

"Niles-."

"Just say it, Frasier." He paused, swallowing hard. "You never liked Mel. You or Dad."

Frasier's hand went to his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Niles."

Another hand went to his back. "I'm sorry too, Son."

More silence followed.

"I really am sorry, Niles. I know that you loved her." Frasier said quietly.

"Thank you." he mumbled, trying to sound grateful for the sympathy.

"I-I'm sure you're wondering about Daphne."

Frasier and his dad exchanged looks.

"You may as well tell him." His father said. "He's gonna find out anyway."

"F-find out what?"

It was Frasier who dropped the bomb.

"The engagement is off. Daphne and Donny have split up."

And what a bomb it was.


	35. Chapter 35

He couldn't breathe; couldn't even think. He felt as though he was drowring and there was no one to rescue him. It was only when he felt his brother's hand on his shoulder that he remembered where he was.

"Niles? Niles, are you all right?"

Niles blinked, suddenly feeling wobbly. "I-I-."

"Damn it, Frasier! I told you not to tell him!" His father yelled.

"He was going to find out anyway!" Frasier snapped.

The room began to spin. "I-I don't…"

His father's hands were on his shoulders, guiding him across the room. He was lowered onto the sofa and then looked around in a daze.

"Sit there, all right? Frasier will make you a drink."

"Dad, I don't think that a drink is the best thing for him right now."

"Like hell it's not! Just do it, all right?"

While Frasier headed for the bar, Niles heard his father speaking to him. But quite honestly, he had no idea what was being said.

"Niles, look. Now that you know, just… don't go doing anything stupid, all right? Don't-."

Like a bullet, Niles shot to his feet. "I-I need to go to Daphne's room."

Frasier looked at him in alarm and his father gave him a look that meant business. Niles knew that look well. And although it had often terrified him as a boy, it now left him unfazed.

"Whatever for?" Frasier asked. "Niles, you know that you aren't allowed-."

"Like hell I'm not!" Niles shouted, his words echoing his father's. He pushed past his brother, wishing that the apartment had been empty when he'd arrived. However,

Fraser's hand went to his arm, preventing him from going any further.

"Wait a minute, what did you mean by that?"

"Just what I said. I have complete authorization to enter Daphne's room."

"Oh and I suppose she is the one who gave you such authorization?"

"As a matter of fact, she's the one who asked me to come over here. She specifically requested that I grab something from her room. That's precisely why I'm here."

"But that's impossible. Daphne is-."

"With me." Niles admitted. "Or at least she was. For some reason, the confession did not make him feel better. And he was all too aware of the stunned expressions of the two older Crane men who were staring at him in disbelief. He was left with no choice but to tell them the truth.

"That's right. Daphne's with me. She's at the cabin."

"And you weren't going to say a damn thing?" his father yelled. "You were just going to let us worry about her?"

"No, no, I-."

"You'd better have a good explanation for this, Niles! What in the hell is Daphne doing with you?" Frasier demanded.

"All right, look. I didn't plan it this way, I swear it! I-I just came over to get the keys-you know, to the cabin. That's all! They were right where you said they would be; on the sideboard."

"Why didn't you just get the damn keys and leave?"

"Dad, I was going to, I swear!"

"Go on." Frasier said; his arms crossed in front of his body.

"When I got her, I let myself in. I had no idea that anyone else would be here. But then I saw Daphne and she-."

"She what, Niles?"

"She was upset."

"Of course she was."

"No, I mean extremely upset! Frasier, she was more upset than I'd ever seen her. She looked like she'd been crying for hours!"

"She most likely was."

"It scared me. I didn't know what to do."

"Oh for God's sake, Niles. You're a psychiatrist! Of course you knew what to do! You… give her a hug and move on!"

Niles was appalled. He should have known that Fraser would downplay Daphne's emotions. He swallowed hard. "Perhaps that what you would have done. But I for one happen to care about Daphne!"

"If you care about her so much, you would have called us right away and told us-."

"I know, Dad. I know. I just…. I'm sorry. I know I should have called you. O-or Daphne should have. But I-I swear, this wasn't planned!"

"You mentioned that already."

"Well I'm saying it again, all right? I-I was comforting her and the next thing I knew I was asking her to come to the cabin with me. I never dreamed that she'd say yes!"

Frasier shook his head, muttering a swear word that startled Niles. Never before had he ever heard his brother utter such a crass word. And it was especially disturbing that it was said in conjunction with Daphne. But he chose to ignore it. There were far more important things to discuss.

"Niles what in the hell were you thinking?" Frasier continued, as though Niles had never opened his mouth. "Daphne is… well, she's fragile and to drag her away from her home-."

Niles almost laughed. "You think I forced her to come with me?"

"No, I'm not saying that. I just-."

Niles held up his hand. "Look, just let me get her bag and I'll be on my way, all right?"

"Suit yourself. But you're making a big mistake, son."

Niles frowned at his father. "Then it will be my mistake to make." His heart clinched in his chest when his father turned around and walked out of the room, leaving him and his brother alone.

He and Frasier glared at one another and after a long, uncomfortable silence, Niles said. "H-how did you find out? About Daphne and Donny?"

"Oh, um… Donny stopped by the other day. He'd left his cell phone here. He's the one who told us."

"I see."

"Now Niles, just because you and Daphne are both free doesn't mean that you can just-."

The anger inside of Niles began to grow and this time he successfully pushed his way past his brother. "I'll just get Daphne's things and be on my way."

"Niles-."

But he kept on moving. Nothing was going to stop him this time; absolutely nothing.

The moment Niles opened the door to her room, a rush of feelings came over him; anger, love, need, guilt and even sympathy. But he ignored them all and quickly entered the room, grateful when he found the bag sitting on the floor, must where she said it would be. He picked it up in one fluid motion, surprised at how heavy it was. At the door, he glanced around the room, wishing that he hadn't seen the wedding bands that lay on her dresser. The sight caused his anger to ignite once again.

He took a deep breath and returned to the living room. It was not Frasier's fault; none of it was. Nor was the fault of his father. But Niles was furious just the same. He headed for the front door just as Frasier re-entered the living room.

"Niles, I think we need to talk about-."

He slammed the door shut.

Alone in the hallway, he could hear the muffled sounds of his brother's voice. He knew that he should have taken Frasier's advice. The truth was that he needed to talk to someone; desperately. But at the moment all he wanted to do was drive.


	36. Chapter 36

The car moved along Interstate 5 at a rate of speed that made even Niles uncomfortable. He was always a cautious, respectable driver; but not today. His car, he quickly learned, wasn't used to traveling at such a high speed, but he couldn't will himself to slow down. He knew better. He'd been pulled over not long ago, on the outskirts of Seattle by a stone-faced police officer who didn't give a damn that Niles' dad was once a member of the Seattle Police Department.

When asked why he was driving at twice the speed limit (an accusation that Niles refused to believe. Never in his life had he ever driven so alarmingly fast), Niles mumbled an apology, stating that he'd just learned some upsetting news. It was, of course the God's honest truth. The officer couldn't even begin to know the half of it. And to Niles' great relief, the officer took Niles brief explanation at face value and let him go with a warning and advised him to slow down.

He took that advice for a while, but when he came to an area on the freeway where there was very little traffic, he increased his speed, pressing his foot down on the accelerator. But he suddenly realized that even the lightest Washington State rainfall could make the oil and dirt paved roads a bit treacherous. The car skidded and swerved so badly on a long, winding stretch of highway that he was forced to make himself slow the car and pull over on the side of the road.

He could feel his heart racing. Shaken, he climbed out of the car and shut his eyes, willing himself to breathe deeply. The forest air should have calmed him, but it did not.

Don't drive angry.

His father's haunting words came back to him.

Don't drive angry, Niles.

He should have heeded that advice.

He should have talked to Frasier about his feelings or else gone back to his home at the Montana. He could have sat in his living room, sipping (or rather, gulping) down a glass (or two) of sherry in an attempt to calm himself now. He could have called Daphne and let her know (in the calmest voice he could muster, that he still had things to take care of in Seattle and that he'd be at the cabin much later than promised.

And what if she had decided to come with him? What might have happened then? He knew exactly what would have happened. There was a very good chance that, once they arrived back at Frasier's that one or both of them would have changed their minds, therefore leaving them to go their separate ways.

Now that he'd discovered her secret, there was no way to push it out of his mind. Tiw as always there; would always be there haunting him, fueling the anger inside of him.

He shut his eyes and then opened them again, trying his best to concentrate on his surroundings. It was so beautiful here; the combination of mist and fog drifting through the trees; the dusting of snow that blanketed the trees and the ground below.

When he was a bit calmer, he climbed back into the car and slammed the door. the engine stared easily and he considered peeling out onto the road. but then he remembered what had happened before and thought better of it, choosing instead to pull slowly onto the road. His blood was once again dangerously close to the boiling point. But he purposely made himself drive slower than normal. He couldn't risk getting into an accident; or worse. It simply wasn't worth it; or at least that's what he continuously told himself.

His foot was heavy on the gas pedal, whisking he could drive even faster. But he also wished that the cabin was a million miles away, so that he would never have to reach it.

What in the hell was he going to say to her when he arrived? Would he confront her? What would be the point? Daphne had not really done anything wrong. He had no reason to be angry. And yet he was. He felt betrayed, lied to.

Was it better not to know? He didn't have an answer for that.

Damn it all. Damn it to hell.

He'd barely realized that his driving speed had increased until he bounded from his seat as the car flew over a dip in the road. At this speed the road rose and twisted like a snake until, suddenly shaken, he slowed down. He could not risk his life. He had too much to say to her.

He found it necessary to pull over a few more times along his journey and when the cabin finally came into view, it was nightfall. His watch indicated that it was much later than the time that they had agreed upon. But he couldn't go to her, not just yet. Instead he sat in his car, engrossed in his thoughts.

He looked up to see her silhouetted in the doorway, looking every bit like an angel. And then she was running toward him, her arms outstretched, a smile on face. It was a sight that at any other second would have made him feel elated. How many times had he dreamt of this moment, when Daphne would run toward him like in a fairy tale? Only this was no fairy tale. And try as he might, he couldn't will himself to be happy to see her.

As though sensing his anger she slowed. He could see her smile, illuminated by the headlights of his car fade and then disappear completely. He knew that she knew that something was wrong. It didn't take a psychic vision.

Why did she have to look so damn beautiful yet so small against a backdrop of purple snow covered mountains? He shut off the engine and got out of the car. Their eyes met for a brief moment but then he looked away. He couldn't continue to look at her; not when she looked so damn beautiful. And she looked cold. He knew that he should do what he most wanted to do; take off his coat and wrap it around her shoulders. But he could not will himself to do it. And he hated himself for feeling that way.

Damn that Mel…. And Donny.

"I'm glad you're home." Daphne said hesitantly. "I was worried, I-."

"Sorry I'm late." He snapped. "The roads…" His force was terse and then trailed away. He began the task of unloading the car. He worked diligently, barely noticing that she was suddenly standing beside him, taking the bags from him as he lifted each one from the seat.

"Well…" She said, her voice now restrained. "You're here now."

They carried the luggage inside and when they reached the foyer they were face to face.

"Are you hungry, Dr. Crane? I know that this is your home, but I'd be happy to make you something. Perhaps some tea or-."

"No."

He saw instantly how his sharp tone cut through her, but the hell of it was that she had no idea how much she had hurt him. However, he had to give her credit. She was very good at hiding her emotions. Had he not known her as well as he did, he might not have noticed the hurt in her eyes.

She bit her lip and her gaze softened. "All right. Well, let me help you with these bags. Perhaps after you're settled, we can continue working on the puzzle. I know that the mystery has been solved, but-."

"I have to work tonight." He said, his voice abrupt. "I didn't get a chance to make the calls that I needed to make."

It was a lie. He'd had plenty of time. The one phone call that he'd made to Mel was the one that burned in his mind. And the disappointment in Daphne's eyes was almost heartbreaking. But he refused to give in. If he were to give in, the scenario he imagined earlier might possibly come true.

The voice inside his head was screaming, pleading with him;

Stay angry or you will completely break down

But then he remembered his visit to Frasier's and the secret that he had learned. The words were out of his mouth before he even realized that he had spoken.

"I talked to Frasier."

He could not bring himself to continue, but she stood there, her expression telling him that she needed more.

"Yes." She said after a pause that was much too long.

"He told me that you and Donny broke off the engagement."

Her expression did not change and she continued to stare at him as she'd done before.

His subconscious willed her to speak. Say something, damn it." He muttered so low that she could not have possibly heard. "Either deny it or don't, but for God's sake just tell me-."

However, her only words were a simple; "I see."

Wordlessly he picked up his briefcase and disappeared into his study, slamming the door shut behind him.

Angrily he dropped his briefcase onto the floor, not giving a damn when a few papers fell out, leaving him with the daunting task of putting them back in order. He glanced at the closed door. A part of him wanted to go to her, but he refused to do it. What would be the point where there was clearly nothing more for either of them to say?


	37. Chapter 37

He was completely and utterly exhausted. He'd barley slept at all since he'd arrived at the cabin with Daphne. Ironically, his one last good night's sleep had been in the same bed as Mel. He used to love sleeping with her; not making love, but really sleeping. But now the thought of sleeping with her or doing anything else with her repulsed him, making him feel physically ill.

He had not been truthful at all with Daphne when he'd told her that he needed to go to Seattle. He could have taken care of his patients in the privacy of his office. The task of calling Mrs. Woodson and having her rearrange things could have been just as easily done on the telephone.

But the confrontation with Mel-as much as he would have liked to have done it over the phone-needed to take place in person. There was no other way. He cringed thinking about that horrible moment yet again, but it still made him feel queasy. When his stomach churned, he scoured his desk drawer for his antacids, and then found it difficult to open the thin blue cap. Daphne was always so much better at things like that than he; opening jars, bottles, cans and the like. Mel would have chided him for his inability to do something that was thought to be so 'easy'. When he finally succeeded, he shook a handful of antacids in his hand and popped them into his mouth like candy.

The thought occurred to him yet again that if it weren't for Daphne he wouldn't be in this predicament. However, he couldn't bring himself to blame her. How could he possibly begin to blame the person he loved so much?

With an exasperated sigh, he opened his briefcase. He could not let Daphne continue to occupy his mind; he could not. He had work do to; patients to call, appointments to rearrange. He made a list, prioritizing the most important tasks, and then he got to work. He had to do something; anything to make his mind off of Daphne.

He worked diligently, occasionally reminding himself to breathe. He began with Monday and then moved on to Tuesday and then Wednesday, Thurs….

He woke with a start, even more disoriented than before. Where was he? After a few moments, it all came back to him. When his eyes focused, he saw that it was nearly two AM. He was still in his chair, indicating that he must have fallen asleep after making the necessary calls. A piece of paper fell from his cheek and fluttered softly to the carpeted floor. He gave a small groan as he attempted to bend over to retrieve it. How long had he been sitting in his chair, working on whatever it was he had been working on? He honestly couldn't remember.

He glanced at the papers on his desk, pleased to find that somehow he'd managed to finish everything that he'd intended to complete. Although he wasn't entirely refreshed, the nap had succeeded in giving him stretch to stand and go upstairs to his room to get ready for bed. With any luck he'd be able to get a decent night's sleep. However given what he'd learned at Frasier's just hours before, he seriously doubt it. Once again, Daphne weighed heavily on his mind.

The moment he opened the door that led to the hallway, he froze. His heart began to pound and he found that the coast wasn't at all clear.  
They were once again face to face. However, she wasn't looking directly at him. Instead her gaze was transfixed on the cherry wood sideboard that filled the wall space just outside his office door.

"I thought you might fancy a sandwich." She said quietly. Normally he would be touched beyond measure at this small gesture. But he knew exactly what it was; it was a peace offering, made hastily.

He wasn't at all hungry, nor was he in the mood to think about eating. All he wanted to do was to go straight upstairs to his room and (God willing) go to sleep. But he'd never turned down a gift from Daphne before; even if was just a sandwich. He was still furious with Mel and he knew that he would be angry for quite some time. But even though he was also angry at Daphne, his father, his brother and basically the world, he could not bring himself to outright refuse the sandwich. He could not risk hurting Daphne's feelings, no matter what kind of emotions were swirling inside of him.

Cautiously he moved toward her and took the plate, mumbling a 'thank you' that he knew all too well was less than sincere. When he glanced at her once again, he saw that her expression was almost exactly the same expression that she wore when he'd run into her at Frasier's; the one that she'd worn just before she'd burst into tears.

"You're angry." She said, her voice echoing in the hallway.

His eyes moved to his feet. "I don't know what I am."

"You're angry." She repeated. "I was afraid that you might be. How did your brother know? Because I never-."

"Frasier said that Donny stopped by to pick up his cell phone. Apparently he'd left it there when… His voice trailed away before he spoke again. "Well, anyway, he told Frasier and Dad."

He saw her shiver and then rub her arms with her hands. "Are they angry as well?"

His resolve slowly began to crumble. "They're worried sick about you, Daphne!" He hadn't meant to raise his voice but he felt like a father scolding his child.

"What did you tell them?"

His mind replayed the moment that he'd told Frasier and his dad that Daphne was with him at the cabin, and their reaction to the news. He hadn't been thinking clearly and he realized that he revealed content that he should have kept to himself unless he had talked to Daphne about it first. Telling them without her knowing wasn't right, and he felt an immense amount of remorse.

"I-I told them that I had spoken to you and hat you said that you needed some time alone." he lied. "I swear I had no idea that you and Donny-."

"Everything that you told them was true."

Her reaction surprised him. "Yeah, I suppose it was. But I couldn't say much more. I didn't want to risk-." He said nothing more, but when she nodded, he knew that he didn't have to say anything.

"Thank you, Dr. Crane. For bringing my bag."

He nodded. "Sure."

"Did you have any trouble finding it in me room?"

"Not at all. I just opened the door and it was exactly where you said it would be. But I couldn't help noticing-."

"Yes?"

"I-."

"What is it?"

Damn, another thing he shouldn't have brought up. But it was too late now. He owed her an explanation.

"On your dresser. I'm sorry, Daphne. I shouldn't have looked, but I saw the rings and I didn't make the connection until-."

"Donny had asked me to pick them up on Friday morning and-." She paused as her voice began to quiver. He noticed then that her left hand was bare. "Later that afternoon when Donny came over to get the rings… I'm not really sure what happened but it was over, just like that. I should have known that you'd be angry."

His eyebrows rose. "Why would you think that I'd be upset?"

"Because, Dr. Crane. You're not the kind of man who would leave one woman for another, even if in your heart you knew that the woman you had intended to marry was not the woman you truly loved."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. No, it wasn't possible. It couldn't be.

"Wait a minute, Daphne. What are you saying? Are you saying that Donny was the one who broke up with you?"

She looked momentarily confused and disoriented, and with good reason. Hearing someone else say the words must have come as quite a shock. But no one was more shocked than he.

"What? I-." She looked away and when their gazes met once more he felt the familiar anger within him begin to rise.

"Dr. Crane…"

"That is… Absolutely unforgivable!" he yelled. His outburst startled her and even he was surprised at the uncharacteristic anger he exuded. He ran his hand through his hair and began to pace the hallway.

Daphne, meanwhile, moved past him, giving him no choice but to follow her.

"Daphne, wait-."

But she didn't stop until she reached the living room and then sat down on the sofa.

He hurried after her and then stood beside her, tentatively reaching out to touch the arm of the sofa, as though he needed her permission to do so. He was afraid that if he touched her she might shatter into a million pieces. And so he stayed where he was.

"When Frasier and Dad told me, they made it sound-or I just assumed…. My God, Daphne. I'm so sorry."

She looked away and he sat down beside her on the sofa, so that he was looking into her eyes.

"Daphne you did not deserve him. If Donny was such a fool to think that he could possibly find someone better than you, than he deserves to be alone. And to do this to you, so close to your wedding day… he has absolutely no sense of decency!"

She looked shaken. "Dr. Crane, Donny's not-."

"Don't defend him, Daphne!" Niles yelled. "He is worthy of nothing but contempt! If he wasn't one hundred percent certain that he cold dedicate his life to being your husband, than he should have never- that son of a-that insensitive-."

"Dr. Crane, please!" she was sobbing now, and he knew that he should stop but he was so outraged that he could have gone on forever.

"Daphne, that man cannot-."

"Stop, please! I beg of you!" She cried, even harder than before.

He stared at her, unable to believe that it was he who had caused her to be so upset. And his remorse was deeper than Puget Sound. She continued to cry, deep shuddering sobs. Damn it he'd done it again. He was simply trying to help; to make her see that someone cared. Instead he'd made things worse. He wished that she realized how much it was killing him to see her in so much pain.

She had no idea.


	38. Chapter 38

Ever so carefully he rose to his feet, feeling slightly guilty for removing his hand from her back. But it was of some comfort that she seemed calmer than before. He moved away from the sofa and went to the luggage that sat on the floor. Carefully, he opened the zipper on his bag and removed the treasure inside. He'd spotted the object while he was in Seattle and had stopped by his home to gather a few things. It was completely spur of the moment; placing it in his bag, but now he was glad that he had found it.

"Hey, I brought you something." He did his best to keep his voice quiet and to his relief the subtle change of subject did wonders to improve Daphne's mood. The sight made him sight and Daphne smiled as well when he returned to the sofa with the box in his hands.

She glanced at the oblong box with the colorful picture on the front and gasped in obvious delight, warming his heart. "It's London!"

"I know. I thought you'd like it."

"Good Lord, this puzzle is ten thousand pieces!" She exclaimed.

"Yes it is. And I think that we should stay put until it's done."

She looked at him in surprise. "Y-you do?"

"Absolutely."

The sofa cushion shifted beneath her weight as she moved to a more comfortable position. He watched her gaze at the puzzle box in awe.

"It's mostly rooftops." He pointed out.

"So it is." She sighed as though she was disappointed. "This will take forever."

He felt the familiar increase in his heart rate. "Then we'll stay forever." He wondered if she realized that he meant it in an entirely different way. Of course he would stay with her forever; puzzle or no puzzle. He was certain that he'd never be able to leave her again.

"Thank you, Dr. Crane."

He looked at her beautiful smile. His arms ached to hold her, to hug her and let her know that he was there for her and always would be there for her, no matter what. The tears in her eyes told him that she was still thinking about Donny and he couldn't very well blame her. He wanted to say something that would hopefully be of some comfort, but he wasn't about to bring up the subject of her former fiancé. He wouldn't dare.

"Look Daphne… About the puzzle…"

"Yes?"

"Well, I was just thinking…" He paused, regarding her carefully. "We have quite a big task ahead of us, so why don't we both try to get a good night's sleep and start on the puzzle in the morning, all right?"

She looked disappointed, and he considered giving in. They could start on the puzzle and continue working on it until the wee small hours of the morning. But he couldn't bring himself to suggest it. She needed her rest and frankly, so did he.

"All right." She said, as though agreeing with his silent explanation.

When she rose from the sofa and climbed the staircase, Niles followed her, pausing only to switch off the light before continuing on. Suddenly there were no more steps to climb and he found that, once again, they were face to face. They were standing in front of the guest room door; the room that he should have given her, but instead kept for himself. They gazed at one another, which made him feel a bit self-conscious. He often felt that way around her, even after all of this time.

"Dr. Crane…"

The unexpected sound of her voice surprised him and he was suddenly aware of just how tired he really was. She waited patiently while he stifled a yawn. He knew that he looked exactly how he felt; exhausted.

"I-I just wanted to say…" She continued. "… that I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, about Donny and I."

"Daphne, you didn't do anything wrong. I was the one-." He stopped, doing his best to find the right words.

"Dr. Crane…"

He held up his hand. "Please, Daphne. I know that your relationship with Donny is none of my business, but I care about you. I care about you so very much. I-."

She blinked and swallowed hard. And then she gave him the look that he knew all too well. She was going to cry again. He had no idea if his words were the cruelest or the kindest words that he could have said, but by God he hoped it was the former. But before he could say anything more, he heard her mumbled a soft

"Goodnight."

And then she was gone.


	39. Chapter 39

The thought woke him up at 7am. It was a thought that he should have had nearly twenty hours before, when he heard the news from Frasier about Daphne and Donny breaking up.

Damn…

He'd been so focused on the fact that Donny had been cruel and thoughtless (not to mention a complete and utter fool) in letting such a beautiful, sweet, kind and angelic woman go that he never really thought about what it meant.

Daphne was free.

In a daze, he rose from his bed and headed for the kitchen, still wearing his pajamas and robe. He knew not to expect Daphne to come downstairs to breakfast so early in the morning, but there was no harm in being prepared. And while he worked diligently to prepare breakfast, he couldn't stop thinking about it.

Daphne was free.

When she still had not come down the stairs by nine, he left the breakfast on the table and scribbled a note on a stray piece of paper, telling her to help herself and that he would be down to join her in a little while. Wearily he went back upstairs and crawled back into bed.

He woke again at noon, feeling fully rested (and what a wonderful feeling it was); rarely had he had the luxury of sleeping so late in the date. But when he got dressed and went downstairs, the note and the breakfast were still untouched. A momentary feeling of unease came over him but he quickly realized that Daphne's emotional state had begun to take its toll on her. Breakups were difficult; he knew that from experience. The memory of his meeting with Mel came rushing back, bringing with it a wave of bad feelings. He could only hope that Daphne hadn't had a similar experience in her breakup with Donny. But Niles was determined never to ask her about her relationship with Donny again. To do so only brought the pain back to the surface and he vowed never to intentionally hurt her again as long as he lived.

He stepped out of his office at two o'clock, dismayed to find that there was still no sign of Daphne. He checked again at three o'clock, at three forty five, three-fifty and three-fifty-two, eventually realizing that he could no longer concentrate on his work.

At four o'clock, he knocked softly on her closed bedroom door.

"Daphne?"

When she didn't respond, he knocked a bit louder and then turned the doorknob, surprised to find that the door was unlocked. Slightly worried, he quietly opened the door and stepped inside. But he wasn't prepared for what he found.

The room (or rather, her bed) looked as though it had been hit by a tornado. The bed was in complete disarray; the sheets and blankets tangled into one giant mess. He took one step foreword and then immediately stepped back, gasping when the sheets and blankets began to move. The movement was cautious at first but then more forceful, thrashing about, alarming him even further.

A soft murmur escaped from beneath the sheets and he almost smiled. Cautiously he approached her again. Her bare foot appeared and then rubbed against the sheets in an almost sensuous manner, sending his mind to places that he'd never dared to venture. Shaken, he moved his hand through his hair.

Dear God…

He moved around the bed twice and caught a glimpse of her face, mostly hidden not only by the sheets but by her hair which was so unruly that it would take a team of professional hairstylists to untangle it. But he simply couldn't stop staring at her. She was absolutely, impossibly, breathtakingly beautiful.

He picked up a pillow and gently lifted her shoulder, allowing him to place the pillow gently under her cheek. But he jumped in surprise when he turned her face toward him and whimpered. Unable to help himself, he slowly reached out and attempted to brush the hair from her face with his fingers. He had no idea what he would say to her if she were to awaken and find him in her room, touching her as she slept. But he wasn't worried, because he knew that he'd never be able to leave. When she whispered again, he smoothed her hair once more.

"Shh… it's all right." He whispered.

Slowly her hair began to untangle beneath his fingers, revealing more of her beautiful face.

Daphne was free.

Again he chided himself for his burst of anger when Frasier had told him the news. He should have been euphoric at the reality that the man who was so undeserving of Daphne's love was no longer a part of her life.

She whimpered once again, but went right back to sleep. And then she turned around, giving him a full view of her face. But then she cried out….

"Donny…"

His heart nearly stopped and he quickly removed his hand from her cheek. He stared at her, inexplicably heartbroken when he heard the soft sounds of her sobbing.

He closed the door behind him and stood outside of her room for what felt like forever.

Daphne did not want him. She wanted Donny.


	40. Chapter 40

He needed some air.

He went downstairs and left a scribbled note by her plate on the table.

Daphne,

I've gone into town to run some errands. I won't be long.

And he signed it;

Love, Niles

He took Daphne with him on the drive into town. She was always with him in his thoughts; in his heart. He tried to will the dark thoughts of her away, but the clear blue sky did little to clear his mind. He remembered the way she called out Donny's name. The way she had looked lying in his bed. Oh, what a beautiful sight it had been, watching her sleep. It had been a long time since he'd had such an opportunity and he realized how much he'd missed it.

He thought of her tear-stained cheeks. The way her silky hair felt beneath his fingertips. He'd lost count of how many times he'd told her that he would always be there for her. And each time he'd truly and honestly meant it. He would always be there for her, no matter what.

"I won't be long, Daphne." He said to the emptiness of his car. "I promise."

He stopped for groceries in a town called Symphony and he smiled at the irony. Who knew that Washington State had a city named after one of his favorite pastimes? And how was it possible that he knew nothing of its existence until now? He made a mental note to tell Frasier about his discovery. He was certain that his older brother would find it just as ironic.

The grocery bags in hand; he thanked the friendly woman behind the counter at the Symphony Market and was pleased when she told him a little about the area.

"It's a wonderful place." he said with all honesty. "I'll be back soon." He promised. Suddenly he was glad that he'd bypassed his usual store in Alamede and chosen to drive through Bear's Creek as well. Until he looked at a map that hung on the store wall (With the town of Symphony circled proudly in red marker), he hadn't realized how far out of town he had ventured. But he found that he enjoyed the change of scenery. For a man who rarely liked change, the thought surprised him. Perhaps the impromptu trip to the cabin had changed him in ways that he hadn't realized.

On his way out of town, he stopped at a roadside produce stand, pleased to find fresh blueberries and strawberries for sale. He pushed them immediately along with some homemade cider. They would be perfect for breakfast.

When he was halfway back to the cabin, he stopped at another local market; this one he knew well. The owners were good friends of his and were all too happy to provide him with a large container of homemade pumpkin soup and a warm loaf of made-from-scratch bread. He could almost taste the bread and soup and his stomach rumbled, reminding him of how long it had been since he'd last eaten. He could hardly wait to share his meal with Daphne.

Soon he was pulling into the driveway of the cabin. But as he parked the car, he didn't get out right away. Instead he rolled down the window and sat back against the car seat, enjoying what was left of the daylight.

His wedding band lay quietly at the bottom of his pocket. For the first time he had no urge to feel the smoothness of it against his fingertips. The fact was that he had all but forgotten about its existence. He hoped that his painful memories of Mel would fade just as quickly.

Suddenly, he was hit with a different reality. Daphne might have been in mourning over Donny, but instead of being at Frasier's, drawing in her sorrows, she had chosen to accompany Niles to the cabin. That in itself spoke volumes.

He was putting away the groceries when he discovered the note; a different note this time, one that was written in Daphne's handwriting. For the first time he noticed that the table was clean, decorated with fresh placemats, bowls and linen napkins. He picked up the note and glanced at it.

Dr. Crane,

I've gone for a walk. Thank you for lunch.

It was signed;

Love, Daphne.

His heart warmed at the sentiment, but then he read her note again. "I've gone for a walk…"

His eyes widened and his heart rate increased. Cue the panic attack.


	41. Chapter 41

It was hard to breathe. The room seemed to be closing in on him at an alarming rate. Daphne had gone for a walk? Alone? Surely she must have known that there had been several reports of bear sightings in the area. Niles, of course, in all of the years that he'd been the owner of the cabin, had never actually encountered a bear (the thought made him shiver), but over time he'd made it a priority to learn to be "bear-aware".

If there was one thing he'd discovered, it was that it paid to be able to sense danger in the wild, even if he would never actually ever dream of venturing out into the wild. But even so, he was well aware of the danger; not only of bears, but of wolves, lynx… and everyone knew about the owls.

But, thank God for small favors, it was still too early in the year for crickets and mosquitoes.

He wasn't sure if it was a psychic vision or pure panic, but he knew without a doubt that Daphne was in danger. He had to save her, no matter what.

If only he had a gun. The thought surprised him. He'd never needed one before, nor had he ever had a desire to own one, even with his father's background as a Seattle Police Officer. Guns were dangerous; his mother had warned him and Frasier time and again to stay away from guns at all costs. But now things were different.

He was prepared to save Daphne at all costs. She was worth more to him than anything.

"Oh, hello Dr. Crane."

He looked up, feeling faint. She was safe.

"How was your drive?"

He forced himself to speak. "Um, fine."

"I'm sorry that I wasn't back when you returned. I thought that I would be but-."

Overcome with relief, he engulfed her into his arms, afraid to let go. Clearly the gesture surprised her.

"Dr. Crane?"

He gave her one last gentle squeeze and then let go, albeit reluctantly.

"I-I saw your note and I didn't know-."

"I'm sorry. I just needed some air." She pulled off her gloves and blew warm air into her hands. "I'm just not used to being cooped up, I guess, what with taking care of your father and running errands for your father."

Numb with relief, he helped her remove her coat while she chattered away about something or another. It only took him a few seconds to realize that it was not her coat in his hands but his down jacket. He wanted nothing more than to slip it around his shoulders to feel her warmth. But instead he did as he always did when her back was turned; he leaned in close and inhaled the scent of her hair. It was, as always, wonderfully intoxicating.

She approached him carefully. "I'm sorry if I frightened you, Dr. Crane."

"It's okay. It's just… You know…"

She laughed and turned to face him. "You're right you know. The woods can be very dangerous. But don't worry, Dr. Crane. I was very careful."

He stared at her for a moment before speaking again. "If you will give me a few minutes, I'll light a fire for you." He hoped that the gesture would make her feel as warm as she had made him feel the day before when he had been the one to come in from the bitter cold.

When she sat down on the sofa, he picked up the blanket that lay over the armrest and draped it around her shoulders. She lifted her hair to assist him but he caught another whiff of her hair, nearly dropping the blanket in the process.

She looked at him thoughtfully. "Do you know what just occurred to me?"

His hand brushed the back of her neck and it was then that he realized how cold she really was. He wished that he had another blanket readily available or that he could quickly go and turn up the thermostat. But he couldn't bring himself to leave her.

"No, what?"

There was a time when both you and I were living in London." She gazed longingly at the picture on the puzzle box.

He nodded. "That's true. We have both lived in London, haven't we?"

"Yes, but I mean that we both lived there at the same time at one point. We might have even run into each other."

Niles shook his head and tried not to laugh at the absurdity. "That's impossible. I would have remembered."

"But we could have-."

"I would have remembered." His words were sincere. There was absolutely no way on earth that he would have forgotten her face, lest they had seen each other in London. Anyone who could ever forget the angelic face of Daphne Moon, even after one glance, definitely needed therapy.

She looked at him, pulling him in with her warm brown eyes. He busied himself by tending to the fire and then retreated into the kitchen where he prepared two warm drinks. It was a nice distraction from the temptation of kissing her. He couldn't kiss her, not now, perhaps not ever. But God, how he wanted to.

He was rewarded with her smile as he put the warm mug of apple cider into her hands. He hoped that she noticed that he'd made a point to prepare it just the way she liked; a cinnamon stick, lemon juice and a splash of brandy. She'd never actually told him that she liked her cider this way, but it was simply a reward of having listened to her every word during his visits to Frasier's.

His eyes moved from her beautiful face to the coffee table where she was once again pouring over the cover of the puzzle box. The sight made him smile. But then he noticed something else. His eyes moved to the object that lay next to the puzzle box. It was one of his books. He leaned forward to get a closer look.

"Love is Where it Falls." She said, as though by way of explanation. "I found it on your bookshelf while you were gone to Seattle. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. How did you like it?"

"Well, I'm afraid that I haven't gotten very far. But the first part of the book is very good. I thought it was sweet, the way he remembered so clearly the first time he saw her, even after all of those years."

"Folding laundry." He hadn't meant to blurt out the first words that came to his mind, but… there they were.

Not surprisingly, she looked at him in confusion. "Folding laundry? No, she was on the phone."

"I mean you. You were folding laundry."

"I'm sorry?"

He sat down beside her and smiled. "The first time I saw you, you were taking clothes out of the laundry basket, shaking them out and sorting them into piles." He was certain that she thought him crazy, but it wouldn't be the first time.

"I might have." She said after a brief pause. "I don't remember."

"I remember it like it was yesterday." He continued. "You were wearing a long, unbuttoned denim shirt with a white shirt underneath. And a pair of slim black pants."

She looked uncomfortable. "Oh… All right."

"You were wearing a silver pendant on a black chain around your neck. Your hair was long and you looked absolutely beautiful."

She looked away and self-consciously touched her hair. "Dr. Crane…"

"I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable. I was just remembering. It's a nice memory." That, of course, was an understatement. It was the memory he cherished most.

His heart sank. He wished, oh how he wished that she remembered that moment as fondly as he. But he could tell that she did not. And he certainly didn't expect her to. Most likely she remembered her first meeting with Donny with the same fondness. He felt that way about Mel once upon a time.

"So…" he said by way of changing the subject. "Any thoughts on passionate friendship?"

"Wh-what?"

He began thumbing through the pages. "In the book-."

"I told you… I haven't gotten that far yet, but it sounds like a lovely idea."

"Yes, lovely." He echoed. "Does that mean that you've reconsidered calling me Niles instead of Dr. Crane?"

But she bowed her head and took a sip of her cider, giving him his answer. "It's not right."

"I see." He said, although he didn't see at all. "Well, I won't pressure you. But don't think for a moment that you're off the hook on this one."

It was meant to be taken lightly, but when she looked at him in alarm, he realized that his tone was harsher than intended. To soften the blow, he smiled, earning a smile in return.

"Why don't we get started on dinner?" he suggested.

"All right."

He picked up the grocery bags that he'd placed on the table and went into the kitchen. To his relief, Daphne followed him.


	42. Chapter 42

"Oh, this is wonderful." Daphne said, putting another spoonful of soup into her mouth. "I've never had pumpkin soup before. And this bread…"

"Artisan." Niles explained.

"Where did you find it?"

"I stopped by the bed and breakfast on the way back."

"It's wonderful." She said again. "Thank you, Dr. Crane."

"It was my pleasure."

They ate in silence but there were a million things he could have said; a million things that he should have said. But instead he remained silent.

"Dr. Crane, May I say something?"

"Of course. What's on your mind?"

When she said nothing he became concerned. He leaned closer. "Daphne, what is it?"

Their eyes met and she paused. "I'm sorry."

He took a sip of his iced tea and then returned it to the table. "About what? You haven't done anything to warrant-."

"I'm sorry that I frightened you earlier when I went for a walk. I thought I'd be back well before you got home. I didn't go far, just far enough to surround myself in the woods. I sat on an old log and listened to the quiet. It was wonderful."

"It is beautiful." He sniffled, making her smile.

"You've never been into the woods, have you, Dr. Cane?"

"Oh, I-." he started to say something but anything that he could have said would surely be followed by a nosebleed. He saw her grin and he knew that she was thinking the same thing.

"It's all right." She said, most likely by way of reassurance. "But it is very beautiful."

He thought for a moment. "Well, perhaps I should venture out there someday."

"With your wife."

The words caught him off-guard. "Um… yes."

The room fell silent and Daphne finished the last of her soup. Her empty plate in hand, she rose to her feet. "It's my turn to do the dishes. Are you finished, Dr. Crane?"

"I am, but Daphne, you don't have to do that."

"But it's my turn. I-."

His hand covered hers. "Please. I insist. You're my guest, Daphne. I'll take care of the dishes."

For a moment, neither of them moved and their hands remained together.

"All right." She finally said. "Well, if you need any help-."

"I'm fine, Daphne. Just make yourself at home."

He watched as she left the room and then began to clean up the kitchen. He found her sometime later, sitting on the porch. She was wearing his parka. The hood was pulled up just enough to cover her ears and her hands were in her pockets. She looked deep in thought. And Niles didn't have to wonder what she was thinking about; or rather, whom.

Unexpectedly she turned around. "What is it?" She snapped.

Stung by her harsh tone, it took him a moment to reply. "Um, nothing. Can I get you some more apple cider?"

"I'd better not." Her voice was softer, but her laugh seemed less than sincere.

"It might help you to relax." He suggested.

Her eyes narrowed. "A re you saying that I'm tense?" Her tone was steady but she was clearly agitated. And truth be told, he was a bit agitated with her as well. After all, he'd done nothing but try to be a gracious host. He supposed he couldn't blame her for being tense. She had been through a painful breakup. He was all too aware of what it was like to end a relationship; even one that wasn't going well.

He did his best to keep his voice calm, but it proved to be impossible. "A little." He replied.

She didn't look at him, but he knew that he'd made her angry. He tried again. "Daphne-." But this time, even he could hear the agitation in his voice. "Do you remember what you once told me about secrets?"

She turned to him. "No. What?"

"You told me that you don't believe in secrets. You had a theory, if I'm remembering correctly, that people keep secrets because they're afraid that the truth will lead to rejection and heartbreak."

She scoffed. "I don't remember saying that at all."

But he could tell by her expression that she remembered it very well.

"Well, I do."

She swallowed hard. "Dr. Crane, what's your point?"

"Well, you also said that you felt that the world would be a better place without secrets. That if everyone just came out and said exactly what was on their mind, there would be less opportunity to judge others."

Another sigh. "All right. I suppose di did say those things, but I still don't understand-."

"I remember thinking a great deal about what you said and I found myself wishing that I had the ability to unburden myself of my secrets. Well, one in particular. It's a secret that I've been holding inside for far too long."

"And?"

"And it seems that instead of my adopting your gift for honesty, you've adopted my bad habit of keeping things bottled up."

"It's cold. We should go back inside." She rose to her feet and attempted to go through the door. But he purposely stood in front of her, blocking her way. He had to know the truth.

"Daphne, you've been hiding something for months; since just before Frasier's Christmas party."

"Just because I chose not to tell you something doesn't mean that I'm holding anything in, nor does it mean that it has anything to do with you, Dr. Crane!" She was yelling and, from what he could tell, doing her best to hold back tears.

"Daphne, you shouldn't do this."

"Maybe I will have a bit more of that cider." She pushed past him and went inside, giving him no choice but to follow her.

He found her in the kitchen, pouring another mug of cider. She added a touch of honey and much more than a splash of brandy. He was grateful that she wasn't in a position to leave. He knew without a doubt that if she were in such a position, she would have grabbed her bag, climbed into the car and driven off, leaving him to worry about her yet again.

"When we do things that aren't normal for us, it causes an inner rift that can have disastrous repercussions."

"You do it all the time!" She yelled her voice cutting through him like a knife. But when she spoke again, her tone was softer. "Would you care for more cider?"

He didn't answer her. "I may do it all the time, Daphne but I have had years of practice holding things in. Secrets just aren't normal for you. They are not your habit, nor do you believe in them. You were very adamant about that.""

Her eyes flared. "Don't tell me what I believe and what I don't believe, Dr. Crane! You have no right-."

"What is it, Daphne? Tell me, please. I want to help."

"Dr. Crane, please don't!" The tears that she'd been holding in began to make their way to her cheeks.

"This isn't like you, Daphne. I'm worried about you. Please, you can tell me any-."

"I know, Dr. Crane, I know, all right?"

"Well, then if you know, then why don't you just-."

"I mean I know your bloody secret!"

His mouth fell open in disbelief. "M-my… What secret, Daphne. I don't have any-what are you talking about?"

There was a silence that was much too long before she hit him with the unthinkable answer.

"I know that you were in love with me for six years."

The explosion that followed was blinding.


	43. Chapter 43

"I still do, Daphne. I loved you then, and I always will."

He didn't say the words out loud, but they were in his heart, just as Daphne was in his heart. He wanted to kiss her; to take her into his arms and kiss her the way she deserved to be kissed. But he was so stunned by her words that it was impossible to say anything at all. If there was anything in the world that he might have imagined that she'd say, this was the furthest thing from his mind.

He stared at her, unable to come up with the right words. What could he possibly say?

She knew.

But how? And for how long?

Someone must have told her. But no one knew except Frasier and Dad. Roz, despite their less than friendly relationship would never do such a thing; not without making a point to tell Niles what she had done afterward. Dad had made it clear to both Niles and Frasier that if either of them ever did anything to make Daphne want to quit, he would never forgive them. Not that Niles would ever dream of doing such a thing.

That only left his brother.

No. Not in a million years. Not on purpose. And even if Frasier had told Daphne by accident, he would have told Niles about what he had done. Frasier may have thought Niles' infatuation with Daphne ridiculous, but his ethics would not have allowed Niles to remain in the dark about Daphne.

That left only one possible explanation. Daphne must have found out some other way. He tried to process this idea, but when their eyes met, Daphne quickly looked away, pushing tears back with her fingertips.

"I wish… I-I'm so sorry."

"Please don't be sorry, Daphne. I-I don't know how you could have possibly known, but that's beside the point. There's something about love that makes us better people. You've given that to me and for that I will always be grateful."

She smiled but inside he could tell that she was shattered. He'd do anything to be able to put her back together again.

Sometime later he noticed that her expression changed to one of horror, and for a moment he wasn't sure what was happening. Was she feeling pain? Was she sick? He had to help her but he was at a loss of how to do so.

He opened his mouth to speak but no words came. And it was then that he noticed that he was the one in trouble. He was struggling to breathe yet again. He felt dizzy. Without warning, he sank onto the sofa.

"Dr. Crane!" She shouted. She sat beside him and put her hand on his back, moving in small circles. He struggled with everything he had, determined to be successful, if not for himself then for Daphne. He felt her breathing change to match his.

"Dr. Crane…" she whispered brokenly. And then to his surprise (and utter delight) she rested her head against his shoulder. Almost instantly he began to relax.

Breathing became easier and he had the angel beside him to thank for it. Cautiously he put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close. He sank further into the sofa, letting her know that he wasn't going to pull away. He wouldn't dream of leaving her. But suddenly she began to cry.

She put her arms around him and held him even closer. They sat in silence, their arms around each other. Time had no meaning. But this…. This meant everything. He stroked her shoulder, soaking in the moment.

And then the moment happened.

"I love you, Dr. Crane."

He felt his heart rate increase. Even though the words were not meant in the romantic sense, they warmed his heart. But the truth was that everything about Daphne warmed his heart. And he didn't hesitate in his reply.

"I love you too, Daphne."

This was so much better than the first time they'd said "I love you". At the bar… Granville's… The night when they had been ceremoniously dumped by their respective dates; he by Adelle and she by Rodney. Back then he knew that the words were meant as a way of reassurance. But now….

She was sobbing against his chest, pressing her face against his sweater. He kissed her hair, letting his lips linger in the softness as he whispered the words once more.

"I love you."

He knew that she could not possibly have heard him, but he meant them just the same.

God, how he loved her.

She cried relentlessly, encouraging him to hold her even closer. The silence seemed to go on forever, but when he finally spoke, he spoke softly, doing his best not to startle her.

"Let me make you some tea and I'll get you some tissues. I'll be right-."

But when he tried to move, she whimpered, clutching him even tighter. The tea and tissues, he decided, were not what she needed. She needed to be held and he needed to hold her. He'd never needed anything more.

They spent the night in each other's arms, drifting in and out of sleep. He could tell that Daphne was exhausted from crying. During the moments when her sobs escaped, he stroked her hair, humming Heart and Soul; a song that held a special place in his heart.  
He never imagined that he would be able to fall asleep, but he had done just that. He was grateful that because of the way she was seated on the cough, she didn't notice the tears that blurred his vision. He was happier than he'd ever been.

Like a black cloud, reality set over him then. He may be blissfully happy now, but the truth was that she was not his.  
Pain shot through his chest and he gasped for air, causing Daphne to sit up suddenly. She looked as though she'd been awake for a while. She grimaced and then straightened; most likely aching from their night on the sofa. But then she smiled at him, confirming what he'd always suspected. Seeing Daphne's smile first thing in the morning was the best thing ever.

Her smile brought him fully awake and this time he was the one who winced in pain. But Daphne, as usual, was his priority.

"Turn around." he said with mock authority.

Her eyebrows rose. "Excuse me?"

"I'm going to return the favor."

"What favor?"

"A favor I should have returned long before now."

A worried look crossed her brow. "I-I don't-."

"Just turn around."

She did as he asked and he put his hands on her shoulders, moving repeatedly.

"You know, I'm not as good at giving massages as you are but I'll do my best."

He squeezed her tight shoulders and kneaded her upper back, lower back and her arms with his hands. Her body language told him that he was doing a fairly good job and he smiled in spite of himself. He could feel her starting to relax, even through her soft sweater. He returned to familiar spots, massaging her lower back, her upper back and her arms as his hands moved across the bare skin at the back of her neck. He kept on working for if he were to stop, she might notice how his touching her like this was affecting him.

When he finally finished, he slowed his motions, but left his hand on her back. She turned to him with warm, flushed cheeks and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Dr. Crane that was wonderful."

He held her closer. Her words were indeed an understatement. Massaging her, touching her the way that he had was more than wonderful. It was so much more.


	44. Chapter 44

From that moment foreword, everything changed. Of course, he knew that it would, even though he feared that their moment of weakness and their unplanned night together in each other's arms would have made it impossible for them to be around each other, much less stay in the cabin together. But instead, the moment had forged a bond between them; a bond of deep trust unlike any that he'd ever known. It was not a strong enough bond to allow them to openly express their deepest feelings and thoughts, but a bond that they both knew would enable them to come to each other whenever they needed to escape.

They comforted one another. Their arms invited each other in without question or explanation. More than once, Daphne would drop whatever she was doing and come to rest in his arms. As always he gladly let her in. But it worried him, knowing that her tears would start to fall again at any given moment. Whenever she came to him, he was aware of how his breathing changed; especially when reality set in and he knew that their days together would soon come to an end.

It was then that he would start to panic. He had no idea what he would have done; what he would do, without her beside him to soothe his breathing, reminding him once again that she was there. He'd never felt so loved, even if it wasn't truelove in the romantic sense. He could not stop loving her. He had no idea how to even think about doing so. Even during his relationships with Mel and Maris, and the scattered dates with other women in between, he still could not stop loving Daphne.

He hadn't intended on falling asleep last night; that much was established. But still it had happened. He and Daphne had been working on the puzzle of London and the next thing he knew it was morning. When he opened his eyes fully, he realized that his sweater, his shoes and his belt were lying on the chair adjacent to the sofa. His feet were on the sofa cushions and a blanket covered his body. An angel had done all of this; Daphne.

"It's part of my job." she had explained one night while they were eating dinner at Frasier's. "I bathe and dress people who are no longer able to do it for themselves."

Dad had scoffed at the notion. "I look forward to the day that I'm so lucky."

"So do I." Niles had replied, referring to himself. His comment earned him a swift kick in the leg under the table from his brother.

The memory faded and he looked at his angel once more. Daphne was sleeping in the plush armchair and for a moment he simply watched her. But when, yet again, he realized that he would lose her, he gasped. The noise sent her scrambling to his side; one hand on his chest, the other stroking his hair. They no longer used the paper bag method to control his breathing when they realized that Daphne was able to calm him on her own. However, this time proved to be more difficult. He saw her eyes, which were wide and he tried to say something to reassure her that he would be fine. However, it was impossible to do so.

"It's all right, Dr. Crane." She said softly. "Just breathe slowly."

But try as he might, he could not do it. When at last he was able to focus (albeit just barely), he saw the fear in her eyes; the panic on her face.

"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, please…"

He tried again. He tried with all of his might. She was stroking his forehead, his hair. He was for the first time, terrified. Oh God, he couldn't die, not here not now; now during the greatest days of his life. With each attempt at a breath, he saw her panic increase.

"Dr. Crane, please… Stay with me! I love you!"

Like an answered prayer, he began breathing normally. Daphne was once again sobbing and he couldn't help feeling guilty. For she wouldn't have been so upset had he been able to breathe normally. But he was alive and at the moment that was all that mattered.

Overcome with relief, he pulled her into his arms, but it pained him that his actions only served to increase her tears. He said nothing; just held her in his arms as her tears dampened his shirt. It was the only place he wanted to be.


	45. Chapter 45

They stayed in each other's arms for a long time. He did not let go of her, would not let go of her until she was ready. Her hand never left his chest. It stayed there, ready, waiting. When morning began to turn into afternoon, he woke to the feeling of movement. His eyes opened and he noticed that she was sitting up.

"Daphne?"

She smiled. "I'd better get lunch ready."

He attempted to rise from the sofa, but she kept her hand on his chest, preventing him from moving. However, he was undeterred. "Daphne, I want to help you."

"Stay here and rest, all right? I won't take long."

"But-."

She stroked his hair and smiled. "Just rest."

He knew that it was pointless to protest so he simply nodded and resumed working on the puzzle. They had been building the rooftops of London. It was how they passed the time between meals. The lunch that Daphne made was simple, yet wonderful. They had sandwiches and ice tea, salad and fresh fruit. At her insistence, she sent him back to the sofa while she cleaned up the kitchen and then joined him on the sofa again a little while later.

They worked on the puzzle in silence, with no agenda. They were just two friends who were trying to make the most of the time they had left together. They worked without looking at the picture on the box, which was certainly helpful in making the time pass by more slowly. Niles was happy that the puzzle was barely a tenth of the way finished. They had a long way to go.

The small, but significant touch of her hand against his made his heart sing. She avoided his gaze as she pretended to concentrate on the puzzle pieces. After another long period of silence she sighed. It was a sound that startled him if only in the slightest.

"Love is so complicated, isn't it, Dr. Crane?"

He was so taken aback by the unexpected sound of her voice that he barely knew how to respond.

"Um…"  
"Psychiatrists study this sort of thing, don't they?" She continued. "I mean, don't they have some sort of simple, yet pompous explanation?"

He took the opportunity to lean his face against her hair and inhaled the scent of her cucumber and peppermint shampoo. It was a new scent and yet it was strangely comforting. It was an odd combination, but one that suited her well. He made a mental note to buy some the next time he was out and keep in on hand at the cabin, just in case.

He thought about his answer to Daphne's question carefully. "Well…" He began slowly. "It may not be the most popular theory among professional psychiatrists, but I for one believe that love is controlled by the heart and that it's the actual circumstances and not the heart itself that makes things complicated.

Daphne sighed, indicating that his answer was not the one that she wanted. But he found that he had to finish his thought and did so hurriedly.

"It's difficult to explain the theory of affection." He continued. "Professionals have been trying for centuries, but have never come as close to understanding love as… well, Shakespeare for example."

"The course of true love never did run smooth."

His eyebrows rose and he was both impressed and surprised by her knowledge of Shakespeare. It was the first time he'd ever heard her quote any sort of Shakespeare. He never imagined-

"A Midsummer Night's Dream." He clarified.

She sat up and frowned at him. The unmistakable look of hurt was in her eyes. "I did go to school you know!"

His smile faded. He'd hurt her yet again. "Daphne, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-."

He expected her to be angry; to get up and walk away as she had done before, but she remained where she was.

They gazed at one another and he wanted so much to kiss her; wanted it more than ever before. It would have been the perfect opportunity to bring his lips to hers, wrap arms around her and draw her close. But instead he remained still. However after a few seconds, he simply could not help himself.

He did not kiss her, but instead reached out and brushed a few fallen locks of hair from her forehead. If she had been disappointed that they hadn't kissed, it didn't show on her face. He smiled at her and after a while they both returned the safety and comfort of the rooftops of London.

He knew that he should have been concerned that Mel was in his thoughts less and less, but in fact it didn't bother him at all. He kept the ring in his pocket, removing it only when he changed clothes. He knew as a psychiatrist that it was unhealthy and ridiculous to keep a ring in his pocket that he had no intention of wearing and one that symbolized something that he no longer cared about. But he couldn't bring himself to get rid of it. The ring provided a dose of reality and he hoped that the reminder of it would prevent him from telling Daphne what he could not tell her; the truth.


	46. Chapter 46

Every night since they arrived at the cabin, Niles had excused himself after dinner and retreated to his office to make the obligatory phone call. Tonight, however, he stayed put.

He hoped that his brief absences hadn't caused Daphne an inconvenience for they certainly inconvenienced him. When the time came he always tried to be as gracious as possible when making his exit.

"Make yourself at home." He always said. "I just need to take care of something in my office. I won't be long. Do you need anything before I leave?"

She always smiled in return. "No, I'm fine. Thank you, Dr. Crane."

His phone calls to Mel were expected and sometimes demanded but it angered him, how much time had been lost talking to a woman whom he truly did not love when he could have been spending that time with Daphne.

She stood and walked outside, bringing him out of his thoughts. He followed her out the door. His subconscious told him that she probably wanted to be alone, but he found that he could not stand to be without her. He only hoped that she wouldn't mind his company.

He stepped onto the porch and looked into the sky. For the season, the sky was surprisingly clear. Stars glittered overhead around a pale silver moon creating an absolutely stunning scene.

Since yesterday, they had been at each other's sides every moment, with the exception of the time that it took them to shower and change clothes. It was more time, he realized than in all of the years he'd been coming over to Frasier's for his sometimes all-too-brief moments. And he also realized that being alone with Daphne was something he would always cherish. Who wouldn't cherish moments spent alone with an angel?

He wondered what it would be like when they returned home. And then he realized that he didn't want to think about that; returning home. Not yet. He couldn't imagine being without her, even for a moment.

A cold gust of wind swept across the porch and when Daphne shivered, he wasted no time in retreating into the cabin. He returned seconds later with his parka which he draped over her shoulders. She turned to him and gave him a sad smile.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you, Daphne. I thought you might be cold."

"Thank you Dr. Crane. I-."

He shoved his hands deep into his pocket, clutching the ring in his fingers. He wanted so much to tell her what was in his heart. But his conscious was telling him that it wasn't the right time. And he wasn't sure if there would ever be a right time.

When he looked up he saw that she was crying again. He let go of the ring and removed his handkerchief from his pocket. But to his dismay, she cried even harder.

"Are you all right?" he asked, feeling stupid for asking a question that had such an obvious answer. And he felt a stabbing in his heart when the question brought even more tears. Damn…

"I'm fine, why." It was a lie, of course, but at least it was an answer. And he didn't question it.

"I was worried about you. I-I am worried." He kept his voice quiet. "You've been out here a long time and I wanted to make sure that you're okay."

She was silent for a long moment and then looked at him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I just…what were you thinking about?"

Another pause…

"I was thinking about Donny."

His heart shattered silently. His hand clutched the ring that lay at the bottom of his pocket once more and he prayed that it would somehow bring him strength. "Of course, how stupid of me. It's only natural that you would-."

"You're not stupid, Dr. Crane. I am."

Her words both surprised and angered him. "No. Don't say that, Daphne! Don't even think it! Don't ever think of yourself that way!" His words were firm, direct. Words he used when trying to raise a patient's self-confidence.

She looked up in surprise. "But I'm the one who-."

"No." He said again. "Don't say it. You're the one whom Donny hurt. This is entirely his fault, Daphne, not yours! The fact that he hurt you shouldn't make you feel worthless because it's absolutely not true!" He was pacing the porch now, unable to look at her. But he kept going, determined to make her see that she was loved.

"You're not worthless, you're… well, you're special… to me and to a lot of other people. Frasier, Dad… me… We care about you, Daphne, so please, don't ever think-"

To his surprise she put her arms around him as though needing comfort that only he could provide. She rested her head against his chest and held on as tightly as possible. He was more than happy to oblige. If it were possible, he'd hold her forever and into eternity.

If only…


	47. Chapter 47

"I wish…"

It was the first time he'd spoken in a long while and Daphne turned around and gazed at him, as though coaxing him to say more. But when he remained silent, she gave him a long look that told him that she wanted more.

"What do you wish, Dr. Crane?"

He wished so many things. He didn't even know where to begin. How could he possibly begin? He wanted to love her forever, he wanted her to love him like she'd never loved anyone. He wanted to kiss her passionately whenever he pleased, to hold her in his arms through the night, to take her to places that she'd only dreamed about; places where he could show her off to the world and let everyone know how lucky he was to have fallen in love with the most beautiful woman in existence... the list went on and on and perhaps it was a silly list, but God, help him, it was the truth. All of his wishes began with Daphne. He couldn't tell her what he was thinking, not yet. But she deserved an answer; one that was as truthful as possible.

"I wish that I could make you happy again, Daphne. I can't stand to see you so sad." It was as truthful as he knew how to be. But it backfired yet again.

A small sob escaped and she wrapped her arms around him, moving as close to him as possible. Her tears dampened his sweater, but the state of his clothing was the furthest thing from his mind. Nothing else mattered but making her happy.

And then something happened.

Her hand reached out to touch his cheek. She had touched him in the same manner before, but this was different. The feel of her fingertips on his skin caused another rift in his breathing. He saw the fear in her eyes and fought like mad to control his breaths. She stayed where she was and gently pressed her hand flat against his chest, making her hand back and forth to soothe him. He moved her hand from his chest and curled his fingers around it. And then with their hands joined, returned them to his cheek.

It was the most intimate moment they'd ever shared; one that he would remember for the rest of his life.

This time it was Daphne's breathing that changed and he watched her cautiously, prepared to help her at any second. His hand covered hers and removed it from his cheek. But instead of letting it fall, he held onto it and brought it to his lips.

A kiss…

He let go of her hand so that he could use his arms to hold her twice as close as before. She buried her face deep against his chest. Their arms securely around one another, he held her tightly, feeling as though they were the only souls on earth. And at that moment, in his eyes anyway, they were.


	48. Chapter 48

"We should go inside. It's getting late." He said after what felt like a million years later.

Daphne sighed against him. "If we have to."

The truth was that neither of them wanted to move. But they knew that they couldn't stay on the porch much longer. The temperature had fallen dramatically and even his down jacket wouldn't be sufficient if the temperature were to drop any further. But there was a bigger truth….

Reality was waiting.

When he looked up, he saw a star streak across the sky. A sign…

And then he heard her voice.

"This is my favorite place in the world."

Daphne's beautiful words warmed his heart like no other words could. He leaned his face against hers and kissed her hair.

"I'd be honored if you thought of the cabin as your home, Daphne. It's yours whenever you need it. "

He could tell that she was deep in thought but they remained in place; enjoying the silence. Minutes later she drew out of his arms. As before, he didn't question her actions, but he felt the loss of her instantly. The scent of her hair, the warmth of her body, the feel of her skin against his; gone a distant memory until he had the chance to experience it again. Oh God, how he wanted to relive those wonderful moments, just for a little while longer.

After several minutes passed, Niles stood and walked toward the lake, his hand was deep in his pocket. He looked back and noticed that Daphne was still sitting on the porch watching him. He returned his attention to the lake and heard the stair creek. When he looked at Daphne again, he saw that she was attempting to stand.

Hurriedly he went to her and extended his hand to help her up. But in doing so, his finger caught on the ring, sending it flying out of his pocket. He watched in horror as Daphne's eyes followed the ring into the air where it soared, arched and then fell, clinging and dancing; colliding with pebbles before coming to a rest to a golden, sparkling stillness at their feet, glittering in the moonlight.

They stood facing each other, their gazes directed toward the band of gold that lay on the ground. Their hands remained joined and Daphne slowly came to a standing position. Seconds later, their eyes met and the helpless expression that she wore surely mirrored his own.

His heart was pounding and he felt like he was trapped in a nightmare. For the secret he'd worked so hard to keep hidden had silently revealed itself.


End file.
